Dimapur, April 8 (MExN): The National People's Party (NPP) has written to the Chief Election Commissioner of India, urging immediate deployment of Central Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) in the 28-Koridang (ST) Assembly Constituency in Nagaland ahead of the bye-election scheduled on April 9, citing “credible ground reports of anti-social elements allegedly impersonating India Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel” in sensitive villages.
In a complaint letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, NPP National Secretary Saidul Khan said anti-social elements were reportedly posing as IRB (Nagaland) personnel and had stationed themselves in the villages of Chungtia, Longkhum and Mangmetong in the Koridang constituency. Khan said these individuals, operating under the guise of security personnel, were allegedly “exercising unauthorised control over the movement of villagers, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, and potentially suppressing free voter participation.”
The party said the presence of unverified or impersonating armed individuals in these locations posed a direct threat to the integrity of the electoral process, with polling just hours away. It warned of risks including “voter intimidation, booth capture, coercive influence, and disruption of law and order on polling day.”
The NPP said the situation constituted violations of the Model Code of Conduct through misuse or impersonation of authority to influence voters, ECI guidelines on deployment of forces requiring a verified, neutral and accountable security presence, applicable provisions of Indian penal law including impersonation of public servants and electoral interference, and ECI instructions on vulnerability mapping which mandate protection of voters from intimidation.
Invoking Article 324 of the Constitution, which vests superintendence and control of elections in the Election Commission, the party urged the Commission to act swiftly before irreparable damage was caused to democratic credibility and public trust.
In its letter, the NPP requested the Election Commission to order an “immediate verification” of all IRB personnel deployed in the Koridang bye-election area, direct the removal of any unverified or impersonating individuals posing as security personnel, replace the IRB deployment with CAPF to ensure neutrality and credibility, deploy Central Observers and Micro-Observers specifically in Chungtia, Longkhum and Mangmetong, and issue strict instructions ensuring no intimidation or restriction of voter movement.
The party also requested “Independent Police Verification,” asking that a copy of the complaint be acted upon by the Director General of Police, Nagaland, for immediate verification of the identity and deployment records of all IRB personnel in the affected areas and for strict legal action against any impersonators or unauthorised armed presence.
“The electoral process in Koridang stands at a critical juncture. Any delay in addressing this issue may result in irreparable damage to democratic credibility and public trust,” the party added.
Copies of the complaint have been marked to the CEO Nagaland, the Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung in his capacity as District Election Officer, the Returning Officer of Koridang Assembly Constituency, and DGP Nagaland, for “urgent verification and enforcement Action.”
