Nagaland election will be on schedule, says Rajnath Singh

NEWDELHI: The assembly election in Nagaland will be held on schedule, home minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday amid a demand by the state’s civil society groups for deferring the polls to facilitate a solution to the vexed Naga insurgency issue.

This was conveyed by the home minister to Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang when the latter met him here on Wednesday.

“HM also told the Nagaland chief minister that announcing the dates for assembly elections is the prerogative of the Election Commission and the elections have to be held on schedule,” the office of the home minister tweeted.

During the meeting, Zeliang also gave Singh some suggestions for a solution to the Naga issue. “HM told him that the negotiations of various Naga groups with the interlocutor will continue,” another tweet said.

Nagaland health and family welfare minister Imkong Imchen on Tuesday said he supported the demand of various Naga groups to defer the upcoming assembly elections in order to facilitate a solution to the seven-decade-old Naga insurgency.

Various civil society groups have placed the demand before the assembly elections.

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HM also told the Nagaland chief minister that announcing the dates for assembly elections is the prerogative of the Election Commission and the elections have to be held on schedule

OFFICE OF HOME MINISTER

▪ Rajnath Singh