Opposition threatens to drag State Election Commission to Court

A CORRESPONDENT

NAHARLAGUN: The Opposition parties in the State today threatened to knock the door of the Court against the State Election Commission (SEC) for declaring the simultaneous election of Municipal and Panchayati Raj despite the request to defer it by the various political parties in the recently held all party meeting.

Addressing media persons at the Press Club, general secretary of APCC Toko sought the justification from SEC on their adamant decision in conducting the election during the pandemic.

"When you had time and also when the High Court had directed for the conduction of the election, why dint u conduct it then? You went ahead and disobeyed the constitutional mandate and also disregarded the high court order. And now when the situation is so vulnerable you want to conduct the elections," she questioned the SEC.

Speaking of the active COVID-19 cases in the State that is in 1000s and also the increasing death cases related to it, the Congress spokesperson reasoned that Arunachal is in danger zone now and the election might trigger COVID-19 wave in interior areas.

She also took the instance of government offices where total number of staff has been reduced to 50-60 per cent because of the pandemic.

Mina also said that the decision of SEC will affect the Christians for which the whole month of December is counted as the celebration month leading up to Christmas on December 25 and also the harvesting season for farmers.

She demanded that the elections should be conducted during the monsoon season.

Presenting the view of People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) its working president KahfaBengia expressed that the SEC is undermining the views of the political parties.

Calling human lives precious, he also spoke on the same line of Congress spokesperson that the election should be conducted after March next year.

He was of the opinion that the people are trying to get back to normalcy after months of lockdown resulting in economic crisis and the SEC is trying to impose another lockdown like situation by conducting the election.

Endorsing similar thoughts, Spokesperson, Janata Dal Secular (JDS) Arunachal Unit, JarjumEte demanded white paper on all the funds sanctioned by the Central government and details on the utilization of Central sponsored schemes for rural and urban development since the time the PRI and municipal election were not conducted.

"Also the decision to move for the 6th schedule of Indian constitution, how much has it progressed? Please share the blueprint," she added.

The JDS spokesperson held that the elections should not be conducted till the vaccine for COVID-19 pandemic is out. "Or atleast the state is declared to be COVID-19 free," she further added.

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