Mizoram: Chakma Council Polls to be held on May 9; filing of nomination begins

The polling will take place on May 9 from 7 am to 5 pm, and the counting of votes will be conducted on May 11

The Mizoram state election commission (SEC) on Monday announced the date for the election to the 20-member Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) to be held on May 9.

According to a press note issued by the SEC, the election model code of conduct would be in place starting from Monday.

The filing of nominations began on Monday and will continue until April 24. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be conducted on the next day (April 25), and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is fixed for April 27.

The polling will take place on May 9 from 7 am to 5 pm, and the counting of votes will be conducted on May 11.

CADC has been under Governor’s Rule since December 16, 2022, as ‘there could not be political stability’ despite the fact that all 20 members of district councils (MDCs) belonged to the Mizo National Front (MNF).

Instability in the CADC government had begun a few months ago after the elections to the 20-member CADC held in April 2018 witnessed a hung council and the BJP, which won five seats, decided to form the government with its archrival Congress party (at the centre), which bagged seven seats, rather than its NDA ally, the MNF, having eight MDCs.

The post-poll alliance was forged despite strong disapproval from both Delhi and Aizawl.

Five governments in the CADC had been toppled since Shanti Jiban Chakma of the BJP was sworn in as Chief Executive Member (CEM) on May 4, 2018, after being elected leader of the United Legislature Party (ULP), formed by the BJP and the Congress.

Though former CEM Rasik Mohan Chakma, who had been CEM for two times during this term, staked his claim to being the sixth CEM after the resignation of B.L. Chakma, the state’s governor, Hari Babu Kambhampati, refused to accept the claim and imposed governor’s rule.

The CADC area falls within southernmost Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district and adjoins Bangladesh.

Also Read: Chakma Autonomous District Council in Mizoram to go to polls in May

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