EC says no to Mizoram BJP's plea to extend nomination date

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has turned down a request from BJP's Mizoram unit for extension of last day of nomination in the poll-bound state in the wake of protests by local civil society groups against chief electoral officer SB Shashank.

The unrest followed EC's decision to transfer out Mizoram principal home secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo based on CEO's inputs that the IAS officer, a Mizo but from Gujarat cadre, was allegedly interfering with the electoral process. However, Thursday saw a restoration of calm in the state.

EC has now written back to BJP state president JV Hluna, stating the party's request "for extension of last date for filing of nomination has not been acceded to on account of peace and normalcy in the state today". Polling in Mizoram is to be held in a single phase on November 28.

Commission sources told TOI that rules as well as past court rulings did not allow for prolonging the nomination process beyond the mandated seven days. "Once the nomination process opens, filing of nominations must be completed within a week. The last date cannot be extended and the only alternative is to issue a fresh notification for nomination process," said an EC official.