Is Nagaland heading for election and not solution?

Has the Indo-Naga peace process slowed down? Is the Narendra Modi government in Delhi pushing back the prospect of an early solution and instead going to allow the Election Commission of India to conduct another round of Assembly Elections in Nagaland?

Election Commission prepares for Nagaland Assembly Election 2018

State govt seeks clearance from EC for major reshuffle of bureaucracy 

Naga Republic News

Has the Indo-Naga peace process slowed down? Is the Narendra Modi government in Delhi pushing back the prospect of an early solution and instead going to allow the Election Commission of India to conduct another round of Assembly Elections in Nagaland?

While there is huge expectation among the Naga public as well as media reports and projection that a political settlement is going to happen before the next Assembly Election slated for early 2018, in the first clear indication that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is preparing for the next Assembly Election in Nagaland, the State government has sought clearance from the ECI to affect a massive reshuffle of the Nagaland bureaucracy.

The ECI has reportedly instructed the Nagaland government to undertake a thorough review of its bureaucracy in line with guidelines for conducting free and fair elections. The Naga Republic is in possession of the letter that has been forwarded by the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms, Nagaland to the office of the Chief Electoral Office Nagaland in order to get clearance from the ECI to undertake this massive reshuffle of the bureaucracy.

While the State government issued the letter to the CEO Nagaland on November 1, 2017, the latter forwarded the same to the ECI, New Delhi on November 2, 2017 requesting clearance of the Election Commission for the transfer and posting of officers in “connection with General Election to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, 2018” and also in view of the ongoing Special Summary Revision of E/Roll.

Whether this reported directive from the Election Commission of India had anything to do, Chief Minister TR Zeliang led a team of senior Ministers, including Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Neiphiu Rio, calling on the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Friday. The Nagaland government urged upon the Centre to finalise the long-standing Naga political issue before the Assembly elections scheduled early next year.

In response, Rajnath Singh appreciated the initiative of the Chief Minister and his colleagues for highlighting the need for an early solution and hoped that settlement of the Naga political Issue would be done soon.Later when the chief minister with his team met RN Ravi, Interlocutor for Naga Peace Talks, the latter also conveyed the same message of an early solution, preferably before the state assembly elections.

There appears to be some inconsistency in the statements coming from both the political and security establishment in Delhi with regard to the proposed solution. Only recently the Government of India (GoI)’s Interlocutor had made a statement to the leading news daily Nagaland Post that “unless there was significant substantive change in the facts on the ground, the ensuing Nagaland Assembly Election 2018 will be held as scheduled”.

“We are working hard for an expeditious conclusion of the Peace Process. It has taken long time and is testing the patience of the people. While my endeavour is to conclude it as soon as possible, you will appreciate that it is not for one party alone to bring the agreement” he had stated while adding that “negotiating parties have to agree”.

Ravi had also stated to Nagaland Post in the interview on October 23, 2017 that “conducting elections is the responsibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI)” and pointing out that “unless there is significant substantive change in the facts on the ground, I presume it (elections) will go ahead”.

Civil society representatives and top politicians in Nagaland have been optimistic that the Assembly polls, due in March 2018, could get pushed back. Many expect a final solution to the six-decade-long Naga conflict by the end of 2017.

According to a former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), state polls can be delayed only through a special request, which is possible in the case of Nagaland due to the Naga Framework Agreement.

“The Election Commission cannot postpone the elections on its own, until a special request is made by the party (the Centre and State). This is usually done when there are natural calamities and law and order issues. However, in the case of Nagaland, where negotiations are going on, a special request can be made before the assembly’s term gets over,” former CEC H.S. Brahma told IANS.

While The Naga Republiccannot confirm at this point it appears that so far neither the Government of India nor the State has put in such a special request to the ECI.

It may be mentioned that in the run up to elections, the ECI has now made it mandatory for State governments to ensure that officers, who are connected with the conduct of elections in the States, do not serve in their home districts or places where they have served for long.  The other rule of the ECI is that while moving such officers, care should be taken that they are not posted to their home districts.

In line with these guidelines for conduct of elections, the Nagaland government has undertaken a detailed review of officers and their present postings. Transfer orders as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India has been issued and now awaiting the clearance from the ECI.

All the uncertainty surrounding the timing of a political solutionis giving the impression that Nagaland may be headingfor the scheduled elections in early 2018.