Arunachal: BJP for conduct of Chaglagam ZPM poll

Itanagar, May 30: The BJP in Arunachal Pradesh demanded that elections be held in the Zila Parishad Member (ZPM) seat at Chaglagam under Anjaw district, which was declared uncontested, following disqualification of the BJP candidate by the returning officer(RO).

In a petition to Governor General (Retd) J J Singh yesterday, the party sought his intervention into the 'illegal and unjustified' rejection and disqualification of the nomination papers of the BJP candidate and directed the State Election Commission to conduct election for the seat.

The BJP alleged that the RO has undermined and overlooked the constitutional provisions, under which the BJP candidate was protected from his rejection and any disqualification.

District BJP unit and supporters of the candidate staged two-day dharna to protest the unjustified and illegal decision by the RO, the petition said.

The BJP candidate was disqualified under the Office of Profit Act as he holds the post of head gaon burah, which comes under the purview of the Act. However, the BJP alleged that the Deputy Commissioner of Anjaw district had intentionally delayed formal acceptance of the resignation tendered by the candidate from his post on March 31 last, due to malafide intentions.

The party also claimed that despite the applicant approaching several times and even being apprised of the situation by the former minister Khapriso Krong, the Deputy Commissioner kept his candidature on hold and ultimately disqualified the nomination.

UNI