According to Additional Secretary and Returning Officer for the Election Nagaland Khruohituonuo Rio, a “nil nomination” was filed till 3 pm Wednesday. The last date of nominations for election to the Rajya Sabha or Council of States by the Elected Members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly is scheduled for March 21 to be followed by the election on March 31.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
With the announcement by the Election Commission to conduct the biennial election to the Upper House of Parliament from the six states on March 31, including Nagaland State, there seems to be “no takers” for the lone seat from Nagaland as there was no intending candidate filing nomination till Wednesday.
According to Additional Secretary and Returning Officer for the Election Nagaland Khruohituonuo Rio, a “nil nomination” was filed till 3 pm Wednesday. The last date of nominations for election to the Rajya Sabha or Council of States by the Elected Members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly is scheduled for March 21 to be followed by the election on March 31.
Incumbent Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) from Nagaland, KG Kenye, will retire on April 2.
Khruohituonuo Rio said that earlier through NLA notification has reminded that nomination papers should be delivered by a candidate or his proposer to the Returning Officer or the Assistant Returning Officer between 11 am and 3pm on any day, other than public holiday, and not later than March 21.
The earlier notification has also informed that the nomination papers would be taken up for scrutiny at noon on March 22, while notice of withdrawal of candidature should be furnished to the office of the returning officer on March 24 before 3 pm.
Meanwhile, with the “headed” debate doing the rounds followed by confusion on fielding a candidate to the lone seat to Rajya Sabha from Nagaland, it was informed through a reliable source that keeping aside the matters, the upper house resumed its other discussion on the working of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
It was learnt that while intervening in the discussion, Union Minister, Law and Justice, Kiren Rijiju, had said that the union government has taken historic steps for the welfare of the tribal people since the last eight years.
He also supplemented his statement by stating that “record budgetary” allocation has been made in this current budget for the Tribal Affairs Ministry where the
NCP member, Vandana Chavan, shared that emphasis must be given on the promotion of education among the tribal people.
A leader of the CPI, Binoy Viswam, also expounded that the allocation for the tribal affairs Ministry has been reduced in this year’s budget.
Though it cannot be assumed whom to field a suitable candidate from the “oppositionless government” from the state for the “upper house”, Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio’s visit to the National capital, New Delhi, has raised question on lobbying.
It may be noted that Neiphiu Rio on March 15 met the Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, in New Delhi though the purpose of the meeting was not known officially but expressed that he had a “very successful” meeting with the former exchanging “positive note” in the State’s requirements in implementing important projects in Nagaland.
Rio also had a “fruitful discussion” with the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, J Scindia, with regard to the long pending Ciethu airport issue in Kohima.