New Delhi, Nov 8 (UNI) The Election Commission on Thursday rejected the demand by the BJP in Mizoram for extending the last date for nomination for the assembly elections, which will be held on November 28.
BJP state president JV Hluna sought the extension, citing unrest in the state, after the civil society groups protested seeking removal of the Chief Electoral Officer SB Shashank.
However the Commission on Thursday informed Mr Hluna that the last date for nomination will be November 9.
The request to extend the last date for nomination “has not been acceded to on account of peace and normalcy in the state”, the poll panel said.
Trouble erupted in the state after NGO Coordination Committee, an apex body of civil society groups and student bodies demanded the ouster of Mr Shashank citing various reasons including ‘his attempts to do a revision of Bru ethnic community voters', who are living in neighbouring Tripura’s relief camps.
It also demanded to reinstate L Chuaungo, who had been removed from the post of Mizoram Principal Secretary (Home Department) after Mr Shashank said that he interfered in the Commission’s activities and objected the revision of voters list of Bru Community.
Following this the NGO Coordination Committee started agitation on Tuesday across the state and held siege of Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Aizawl.
A high-level team, sent by the Commission to Mizoram, held talks with the NGO Community’s representatives and informed that it will consider their demands.
The Commission also summoned Mr Shashank to Delhi on Wednesday, hence the NGO Committee called off the strike with a warning that it will restart the agitation if their demands were not met.
UNI KNA SHK2047