The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) accused its adversaries of “extensively” using the petition filed by an activist against it with the Election Commission of India. The party said the petition was timed at a crucial period of the campaign to the recently held bye-election to the Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland.
Activist Zeneisiile Ate Loucii had filed a petition late last year and again earlier this year, accusing at least 13 members of the ruling NDPP, including their top brass, of filing false affidavits with the Commission. Her petition urged the Commission to de-register the NDPP as a political party.
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The NDPP was registered as a political party on October 13, 2017, and the ECI recognized it as a ‘state party’ of Nagaland on December 13, 2017 with the globe as its party symbol.
On Sunday, the party issued a release to give the factual information as it felt there has been some misinformation in the public domain regarding the petition filed with the ECI against it.
The release said the petition was found to be not only politically motivated but was also fabricated with false contents and inaccurate certificates on close scrutiny by the party and senior legal luminaries. “The affidavit itself was fraudulent,” the ruling party said.
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“The NDPP has appropriately replied to the petition, having also pointed out the deficiencies of the petition and the attempts to mislead the ECI with false information and certificates. Therefore we have asked for dismissal of the petition,” the release stated.
The release explained the NDPP was founded in the most democratic manner on May 17, 2017 and all due processes were followed in letter and spirit as per the guidelines of the ECI for registration of the party.
The NDPP said it got registered with the ECI as it followed all procedures meticulously by abiding all instructions and directions of the commission. “The party has been accorded recognition by virtue of its numerical strength which was obtained through electoral performances in a democratic manner,” the release said.
It said there is no question of any rollback with regard to registration and recognition of the party and pointed out that despite the petition, no adverse order has been passed by the ECI. “There will be no change of status of the NDPP under any circumstances,” the release asserted.
“The attempts of our adversaries to mislead the public and even their own elected members by such false propagandas only expose their levels of frustration and desperateness,” the NDPP added.
On June 28, Opposition Naga People’s Frond (NPF) had claimed that de-registration of the NDPP by the ECI was imminent with the party finding it difficult to defend its position.
The NDPP had prayed for time extension from the ECI, the NPF claimed.