We make political parties to sign pact to make polls free, fair: MPF leader

We make political parties to sign pact to make polls free, fair: MPF leader

Guwahati: Electioneering in Mizoram is known to be quite disciplined and restrained affair as if political parties and their candidates are under constant watch. They are indeed watched by Mizoram People’s Forum (MPF), a Church-backed social forum which has taken up the cudgel to ensure that elections are held in a totally free and fair manner.

MPF which came into being in 2006, is one of its kind forum in the entire country. Nowhere else in the country an NGO with the support of people and the Church has ventured into such a difficult mission of preventing violation of model code on conduct during polls.

“But for the support of people of Mizoram, the Church, and political parties, it would not have been possible for us to effectively the lay the role of the watchdog to ensure totally free and fair elections in Mizoram since our inception in 2006,” said Rev Lalbiakmawia, the general secretary of MPF during an exclusive interview with The Sentinel at the general headquarter of the forum at the YMA building in Aizawl.

“We conduct political education and awareness campaign, organize seminars for the people of Mizoram under the aegis of the Church to make them aware of the way the political parties and the poll candidates should carry themselves during an election without violating laid down norms in the interest of holding free and fair election,” the MPF leader said.

The MPF follows a very simple modus operando to achieve its goal of facilitating free and fair election in Mizoram. “We enter into a partnership agreement with political parties of Mizoram to facilitate free and fair elections. We work very hard in tandem with the Election Commission of India and political parties in this regard. The partnership agreement mentions about all the dos and don’ts to be observed by political parties during the election period,” the MPF leader said.

“There have been minor violations of some clauses of the partnership agreement on some occasions. So, we do take action which we declare in the concerned constituency and also in the state level through the media to let common people know about it,” Rev Lalbiakmawia said.

The MPF keeps revising the partnership agreement since 2008 and this time too they have revised it for Assembly election 2018. “The leaders of all political parties sign the partnership agreement, there have been only minor violations. We have to appreciate that political parties in Mizoram have been helpful in extending support in minimizing violation of poll code of conduct,” the MPF leader said taking pride that the MPF stands out as an example for another state of India in respect of NGO/people’s level initiative to facilitate free and fair elections.

Sometimes the MPF faces minor hiccups in ensuring total adherence to the poll code of conduct or the clauses of the agreement signed with political parties.

For example, poll candidates are parties are barred from holding a feast for the community or providing any help in cash or kind. “However, parties sometimes organize feasts saying that those are meant for party workers, not the community. These are some of minor problems we face,” the MPF leader said.

“As per the model code of conduct enforced by the Election Commission of India, people can’t be provided with transportation during the election to travel to their constituencies and villages. However, there are so many student voters from outside are studying in Aizawl, they need help to go to their villages to cast their votes. We tell student leaders and others not to make such an arrangement. But we are not sure whether they can follow it or not,” the MPF leader mentioned as one of the problems faced by it.

As per the agreement signed with the political parties, once the elections are declared in Mizoram the MPF doesn’t allow political parties to hold any joint platform. A state-level joint platform may be organized if it is deemed necessary by the MPF.

If a political party wishes to conduct a public meeting it should be conducted under the guidance of the MPF.

If delegates from outside come for campaigning for Mizoram polls, the public meeting should be conducted under the guidance of the MPF.

The MPF determines how much publicity materials like flexes, banners, posters are to be used by respective poll candidates and political parties in a particular constituency/ village depending on the size of the area and population. Political parties usually oblige when they are asked by the MPF to remove excess publicity materials used by them.

Also read: Mizoram News

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