EC Bars Mizoram AAP Candidate, Two Others From Elections

Aizawl, Jan 26 : The Election Commission has barred Michael Lalmanzuala, who contested to the lone Mizoram Lok Sabha seat as an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate, from contesting any elections for three years.

The punitive action against Lalmanzuala came after he allegedly did not submit his expenditure statement to the EC, sources in the state election department today said.

State Joint Chief Electoral Officer F J Liantluanga told PTI that the EC had conveyed its decision to the state election department.

"The EC issued show cause notices to Lalmanzuala and to two other candidates in the state Assembly polls held during the last part of 2013," Liantluanga said adding the explanations offered by Lalmanzuala and the two contestants - Lalthlahlova and Biakmawia - were not accepted and the two Assembly election candidates were also awarded the same punishment.

Lalmanzuala, when contacted, said he was not involved in any electoral malpractices but was punished as he did not have sufficient time to give detailed expenditure statements.

"The EC's requirements were too complicated to be followed to the letter," he added.

Manipuri Officer To Unfurl Tricolor

Imphal, Jan 26 : A young Manipuri woman officer, Lieutenant Haobam Bella Devi, will conduct one of the most important and prestigious activities during the Republic Day parade — unfurling the national flag — at Rajpath in New Delhi on Monday.

The act will be done in the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee, PM Narendra Modi and the chief guest on the occasion, US President Barak Obama, among other distinguished personalities.

"When the President along with chief guest has been seated, the CO of the President's bodyguard gives command for salute. Right after that, the national flag is unfurled and national anthem is played along with a 21-gun salute," said a defence statement.

"Lieutenant Haobam Bella Devi of Ordnance Corps has been assigned the duty this year. Lt Haobam Bella Devi, a second generation army officer, is the daughter of Col H G Singh (Retd), of Top Leikei, Singjamei, Imphal," said the statement issued by Lt Col Ajay Sharma, PRO defence (Imphal).

Another Manipur officer Colonel Nameirakpam Romeo Singh, will be awarded the coveted Sena Medal (Distinguished) on Republic Day for his devotion to duty and successful command of Unit 2 Rajput (Kalichindi) in counter insurgency operations. tnn

New Land Act: Cautious Mizoram looks to Nagaland, decides to consult constitutional expert, before implementing

Aizawl, Jan 22 : As controversy hits the NDA government’s modification to the new land acquisition act through an ordinance, a cautious Mizoram government has set up a committee to look into whether the new law is even applicable for the state to implement given the autonomy granted to it by the Indian Constitution.

The committee met for the first time on Thursday to examine whether The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 passes the autonomy granted to the state by article 371(G) of the Constitution.

“No Act of President,” the article states, “in respect of….ownership and transfer of land, shall apply to the State of Mizoram unless the Legislative Assembly of the State of Mizoram by a resolution so decides.”

At Thursday’s meeting, Revenue Minister R Romawia said the government needs to “carefully examine the law and see whether this or something else may be considered for the state.”

The committee decided that as a first step it will examine how Nagaland, which is also granted considerable autonomy over land and its resources by the Constitution, deals with the new law.

It also decided that a constitutional expert should be consulted before the government starts considering the matter.

Man Posts False Information About PM Modi on Facebook, BJP Lodges FIR

Aizawl, Jan 22 : Mizoram unit of BJP has lodged an FIR with Aizawl Police against a person who allegedly posted false information against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Facebook, police said today.

Officer-in-charge of Aizawl Police Station, Vanlaltluanga told PTI that a case under section 66(A) of IT Act and Section 500 of the IPC were registered in this connection. BJP lodges FIR for false info on PM Modi.

He said that investigation has been launched to nab the accused person. BJP Mizoram Pradesh General Secretary Chhanhima today said that the FIR was registered on Tuesday against a person who had a Facebook account in the name of 'Harry Beth Ce'.

He alleged that the person was spreading baseless and false information about the prime minister on the social networking website.

Mizo National Front Rally in Various Mizoram Towns Against Price Rise

Marchers in capital Aizawl numbered between 1000 to 1200, according to police. (Source: Express photo)

Aizawl, Jan 22 : Thousands turned up Thursday to take part in the Mizo National Front’s “People’s March” in more than a dozen towns against the rise in prices of state-supplied services and commodities in Mizoram.

Marchers in capital Aizawl numbered between 1000 to 1200, according to police, as the state’s eight district headquarters and several other towns also witnessed sizeable turnouts.


The protest marches were peaceful although it disrupted traffic in various places, and MNF leaders poked jeers at the Congress government’s “financial mismanagement” that they said led to between a 50% to 300% increase in prices of various government-supplied goods and services including water supply, subsidised PDS rice and land taxes.

The rally at Aizawl culminated in leaders submitting a memorandum to Governor Aziz Qureshi.

Court Rejects Attempt to Suicide Charge Against Irom Sharmila

By Alok Pandey

Irom Sharmila

Imphal, Jan 22 :  For the second time within a year, a court in Manipur's Imphal has ruled that activist Irom Sharmila is not trying to commit suicide through her indefinite fast against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA. The latest court order in her favour means that Irom Sharmila will be released from judicial custody; she has been confined to a room at a government hospital in Imphal for the last 15 years.

The Imphal court today refused to accept the Manipur Police's chargesheet over a 2014 case, charging her with an attempt to commit suicide

On August 19 last year, a court in Imphal, while ruling on a case lodged against the activist way back in 2000, had ordered that she be released from custody. The court had also observed that the Manipur government and the police had "failed miserably" to demonstrate that she had intended to commit suicide through fasting.

Just three days after her release, the Manipur Police re-arrested Irom Sharmila and charged her with another case of attempted suicide. She was also charged under Section 353 of the Indian penal Code, for stopping a public servant from performing his duty, was also brought in.

Today, the court dismissed both the charges.

An anguished Sharmila told the judge today, "I am tired of this cycle of release and re-arrest. Please put my case to trial once and for all. Let the case be decided".

Babloo Loitongbam, an activist from Imphal and part of the Save Sharmila campaign, says, "She has been released by the court. All of us value her liberty and we hope she will not be criminalised further."

Neither the Manipur government nor the police have reacted on the court's verdict yet.

Manipur Director General of Police Shahid Ahmad told NDTV over the phone that he would only be able to speak later this evening.

Mizoram Tipplers On A High

Aizawl, Jan 22 : More than 20,000 people across Mizoram, which had banned liquor in 1996, have collected application forms to get a card which will allow them to purchase alcohol. With the new liquor law coming into effect from January 2015, wine shops will make an entry in Mizoram from March 2.

The new liquor law -Mizoram Liquor Prohibition and Control Act, 2014 - was passed by the state assembly in July last year. The new law replaced the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1995.

Though the newly-enacted law is still a 'Prohibition act', consumption of liquor is no longer an offence. Anyone, who is above the age of 21 and wishes to drink, will have to apply for a card which will enable him or her to purchase a maximum of 6 bottles of liquor every month.

Long queues were seen outside the Aizawl excise and narcotics department office, near Congress Bhavan. Each application form costs Rs 20.

Three PSUs, the Mizoram Food and Allied Industries Corporation (MIFCO), the Mizoram Agriculture Marketing Corporation (MAMCO) and the Zoram Industrial Development Corporation (ZIDCO), have already submitted applications to the state government to man the wine shops.

The shops are expected to help the PSUs tide over financial problems, state excise and narcotics minister R Lalzirliana said.

Meanwhile, a number of people have been arrested since January 15 for violating the MLPC Act, 2014. Most of them have been convicted and sentenced to do public service by cleaning places like the compounds of the Aizawl Civil Hospital, Aizawl district court and the state excise and narcotics department office.

Others have been sentenced to undergo month-long prison terms or pay a fine of Rs 1,000.

Opposition Plans “People’s March” To Protest Against Price Rise

Aizawl, Jan 22 : Leaders of Mizoram’s main opposition party, the Mizo National Front, have said it will carry out a “people’s march” against price rise in the state at more than a dozen towns on Thursday.

At a press meet to announce the planned marches, the party’s senior vice-president Dr R Lalthangliana spelled out the reasons for the planned simultaneous marches in all eight district headquarters, including capital Aizawl, and several other towns.

These include the upward revision of subsidised PDS rice from Rs 9.50 per kilogram to Rs 15 per kilogram for APL families, the doubling of government water-supply connection charges to Rs 200, the tripling and more of the “Zoram chhiah (tax)” from Rs 15 to Rs 50, and the end of free blood transfusions for patients and the institution of a Rs 550 charge per unit of blood.

The MNF leaders explained that this introduction of charges for blood transfusions has come about because the state cannot meet its 25% share vis-avis the Centre’s 75% share in providing transfusions of blood, which is regularly donated by various volunteer groups.

They also recalled how when the then MNF government mulled an increase in taxes a decade ago, Congress leaders who were in opposition then had vandalised the revenue department offices at Aizawl, but that the same party is now increasing taxes.

The Congress responded almost immediately with a statement, pointing out the increase in prices of subsidised rice does not include those for BPL and AAY families.

The party also alleged it was the MNF’s establishment of two extra police battalions and the “provincialising” of more than 300 schools (which meant they would be eligible for government funding) that has led to a dent in the state exchequer ever since, saying maintaining these entities cost Rs 116 crores per month.

Nevertheless, that the state’s finances are in the doldrums and the need for increasing the government’s revenues has been an oft repeated theme mentioned by government heads including the Chief Minister, who last week presided over a meeting to kick-start various austerity measures to be followed by different departments.

The current controversy over the hike in prices of services and commodities offered by the government comes as elections to local bodies are due in a few months, and also in the wake of the NITI Aayog demanding a detailed explanation over allegations the Congress government is diverting money from various central funds to feed its flagship livelihood program.