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By Express News Service
GUWAHATI: Members of the NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC) in Mizoram have urged political parties to keep their offices shut and not to send their representatives and candidates to counting centres on December 3 as a mark of protest as the Election Commission (EC) scheduled the counting of votes for the state on a Sunday which is a “day of veneration for the Mizo Christians”.
The organisation which is a conglomerate of several civil society and students’ organisations, staged protests in Aizawl and the headquarters of all districts in the state on Friday demanding the votes be counted on any day other than Sunday.
Addressing a rally in Aizawl, NGOCC chairman Lalhmachhuana slammed the EC for maintaining silence despite appeals by various organisations, churches and political parties to tweak the counting date.
“It is sad that the EC chose to remain silent when it was expected to respond to our appeals,” he said.
Recently, the NGOCC sent a delegation to Delhi to impress upon the EC to reschedule the counting date. The Christian-majority state, which has 40 Assembly seats, went to polls on November 7.
READ HERE | Mizoram assembly polls peaceful; over 77 per cent turnout recorded
After the two-hour protests, the NGOCC adopted a two-point resolution.
“We strongly condemn the fact that the EC scheduled the date of counting of votes for Mizoram elections on December 3, which falls on a Sunday, a day of veneration for the Mizo Christian people. All the attendees of today’s peaceful demonstration resolve that the EC should reschedule the date of counting of votes on a date which is not Sunday,” the resolution read.
Churches across the state held prayers last Saturday and Sunday seeking God’s intervention in changing the day of counting of votes. The Mizos stand opposed to counting on December 3 on the ground that it will affect church services.
“Church services are held thrice – morning, afternoon and evening – every Sunday. If the votes are counted on December 3, many of our members will get caught up with the process and will not be able to attend the church,” Rev Vanlalduha of Mizoram Presbyterian Church had told this newspaper.
Churches, civil society organisations, political parties and a church-sponsored poll watchdog lodged a protest soon after the EC had announced the election schedule for Mizoram. Some had shot off separate letters to the Commission stating that Sunday is a sacred day for the people in the state. They made an appeal to change the counting date. Follow channel on WhatsApp
GUWAHATI: Members of the NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC) in Mizoram have urged political parties to keep their offices shut and not to send their representatives and candidates to counting centres on December 3 as a mark of protest as the Election Commission (EC) scheduled the counting of votes for the state on a Sunday which is a “day of veneration for the Mizo Christians”.
The organisation which is a conglomerate of several civil society and students’ organisations, staged protests in Aizawl and the headquarters of all districts in the state on Friday demanding the votes be counted on any day other than Sunday.
Addressing a rally in Aizawl, NGOCC chairman Lalhmachhuana slammed the EC for maintaining silence despite appeals by various organisations, churches and political parties to tweak the counting date.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
“It is sad that the EC chose to remain silent when it was expected to respond to our appeals,” he said.
Recently, the NGOCC sent a delegation to Delhi to impress upon the EC to reschedule the counting date. The Christian-majority state, which has 40 Assembly seats, went to polls on November 7.
READ HERE | Mizoram assembly polls peaceful; over 77 per cent turnout recorded
After the two-hour protests, the NGOCC adopted a two-point resolution.
“We strongly condemn the fact that the EC scheduled the date of counting of votes for Mizoram elections on December 3, which falls on a Sunday, a day of veneration for the Mizo Christian people. All the attendees of today’s peaceful demonstration resolve that the EC should reschedule the date of counting of votes on a date which is not Sunday,” the resolution read.
Churches across the state held prayers last Saturday and Sunday seeking God’s intervention in changing the day of counting of votes. The Mizos stand opposed to counting on December 3 on the ground that it will affect church services.
“Church services are held thrice – morning, afternoon and evening – every Sunday. If the votes are counted on December 3, many of our members will get caught up with the process and will not be able to attend the church,” Rev Vanlalduha of Mizoram Presbyterian Church had told this newspaper.
Churches, civil society organisations, political parties and a church-sponsored poll watchdog lodged a protest soon after the EC had announced the election schedule for Mizoram. Some had shot off separate letters to the Commission stating that Sunday is a sacred day for the people in the state. They made an appeal to change the counting date. Follow channel on WhatsApp
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