ITANAGAR: An Editor of a Arunachal Pradesh-based social media news website has lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging irregularities in the rejection of a nomination for the 49 Bordumsa-Diyun Assembly Constituency of the state.
Tejang Chakma, Editor of The Chakma Reporter, has urged for a thorough inquiry into the alleged misplacement of Drishyamuni Chakma’s nomination documents by the Returning Officer on March 28.
He further calls for the suspension or transfer of the Returning Officer to ensure a fair investigation and suggests the suspension of elections if the inquiry is not promptly completed to avoid denial of the candidate’s right to contest.
The controversy began when The Chakma Reporter initially reported on March 29, about the rejection of Drishyamuni’s nomination due to insufficient documentation, as per the local press.
However, Nikash Chakma, Editor of The Diyun Times, has contradicted this narrative on Saturday, claiming to be an eyewitness to the nomination filing and scrutiny process.
He alleges that Drishyamuni Chakma’s documents were intentionally “misplaced” by officials, leading to the unlawful rejection of his nomination on March 28.
The conflicting accounts have sparked heated debate, with Tejang Chakma highlighting the need for a thorough investigation by the Election Commission.
“Either the documents were misplaced by the Returning Officer as alleged or Nikash Chakma and his associates are knowingly spreading false news. After the inquiry, the ECI, if allegations are found true, must take action against all the officials responsible for misplacing the documents or register FIR against Nikash Chakma and his associates under the Indian Penal Code for spreading fake and defamatory news,” Tejang Chakma said.
Furthermore, Tejang highlights the implications of this controversy on the Chakma and Hajong communities, who constitute a significant portion of voters in the constituency.
He points to historical racial discrimination faced by these communities in Arunachal Pradesh and underscores the need for a fair and impartial electoral process.
Earlier on March 28, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) convened an emergency meeting at the NEFA Club building, opposing Drishyamuni Chakma’s candidature.
The union threatened to shut down the Nirvachan Bhavan if the state government and the election commission failed to reject Chakma’s nomination.
AAPSU general secretary Ritum Tali asserted, “We, the indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh, have long fought against the legality of Chakma-Hajong residency. Despite legal rulings, Drishyamuni Chakma allegedly obtained an election ID illegally for his candidature.”
