Nagaland Elections: Resign first from ministry, CCEM on church workers craving for electioneering

•    CPO’s endorsed CBCC’s Chakhesang Clean Election Movement now ‘into effect’
•    Bars feasts, mass procession, declaration of consensus candidate 

Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 23

If any church worker wishes to involve in the election campaign, he/she should resign first and be relieved from church ministry for a period of 5 years,  read one of the guidelines of  the Chakhesang Clean Election Movement (CCEM) launched by the Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC).

It further barred church workers from engaging in canvassing and stipulated that even their “residence shall not be used for election purposes.”

In view of the forthcoming general election to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly scheduled for February 27, the CCEM was launched by the CBCC and fully endorsed by Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO), is now ‘into effect,’ the latter informed in a statement. 

The objective of the movement is to “check corrupt and unlawful practices during election.”

To this end, the CPO President Vezuhii Keyho and General Secretary Chepetso Koza stated that the organisation has reiterated certain points and appealed to all the areas/ranges, village councils and church bodies within its jurisdiction for consideration in the implementation of the CCEM.

The CPO stated that the CCEM is not exclusive to any particular denomination. 

“As such, the CPO urges all the churches irrespective of denominations to help propagate and implement the CCEM guidelines in their respective localities,” it declared.  

“All the Village Councils are requested to spread and propagate the message of ‘Clean Election’ and to let the CCEM guidelines reach all sections of people irrespective of party affiliations and religious denominations. The Village Councils are to enforce the principles and guidelines of CCEM in letter and in spirit,” it added.

Accordingly, the CPO requested all the areas/ranges to provide necessary assistance in the dissemination and implementation of the CCEM guidelines.

Among others, the  CCEM guidelines include prohibiting – mass procession; force or booth capturing, underage and proxy voting; hate campaign, false propaganda and character assassination; and use of intoxicants.

No National Political Groups or any other groups will be allowed to use arms or force and engaging in booth capturing during election, it added. 

Besides calling for the Common Platform for all the political parties to share their respective manifestos, the guidelines further stated that no village authority will be allowed to declare solid/majority in favour of a particular candidate.

The CPO also urged all candidates to honour and adhere to the CCEM guidelines.

It is imperative to make the CCEM a collective responsibility to “rid ourselves of the unlawful and ungodly practices during elections that have eaten into the very fabric of our society,” the CPO underscored, further expressing hope that the respective church bodies and village councils would positively respond to the stated appeal and prayerfully plan and work for its success. 

All CPO frontal organisations- Chakhesang Youth Front, Chakhesang Students’ Union and Chakhesang Mothers’ Association have been informed to extend full cooperation and assistance wherever necessary.

It must be noted here that the CCEM is a sustained campaign of the CBCC and the current phase started in first half of 2022.   

CCEM Guidelines for Clean & Fair Election
The CCEM, comprising the CPO, CMA, CSU, CYF, and CBCC has issued the following Guidelines in order to ensure clean, fair and honest election.

Each one has been requested to follow them in obedience to God and for the love of “our people.”

•    Party flags, posters, banners and billboards shall not be displayed on church buildings and premises, institutions and public buildings.
•    Use of intoxicants such as, alcohol shall be restricted and inflow of liquor shall be prohibited.
•    No political parties shall organise feasts nor create nuisance in their respective offices in towns and villages.
•    No political parties shall organise mass procession in support of a particular political candidate.
•    No one shall be allowed to sell or buy votes.
•    Only eligible voters attaining 18 years of age shall be allowed to vote as per the election rules.
•    One person one vote shall be enforced and proxy vote shall not be allowed.
•    Church workers shall not be allowed to engage in canvassing; even their residence shall not be used for election purposes. If any church worker wishes to involve in the election campaign he/she should resign first and be relieved from church ministry for a period of 5 years.
•    No political parties shall conduct election campaign on Sundays.
•    National Political Groups or any other groups shall not be allowed to use arms or force and engaging in booth capturing during election.
•    Use of force or booth capturing shall not be allowed during election.
•    The Village Council shall organise Common Platform for all the political parties to share their respective manifestos.
•    No village authority shall be allowed to declare solid/majority in favour of a particular candidate for the sake of village peace and harmony.
•    Candidates are not allowed to engage in hate campaign, false propaganda and character assassination.
•    All the believers are requested to pray and elect capable and God fearing leaders and to ensure free and fair election.
•    Chakhesang Clean Election Movement shall work to ensure clean electoral roll in all Chakhesang villages and extend all possible co-operation and support the Govt. and its election machineries.
•    Chakhesang Clean Election Movement shall work with village authority and Church workers to implement the given Clean Election Guidelines.