Rio: Targeted

Dimapur, April 26: A political storm has been kicked off in Nagaland following allegations of violation of the poll code of conduct against the DAN government.

The Opposition Congress accused the government of breaking the code of conduct by granting 30 days’ earned leave to chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s younger brother Zhaleo Rio, who is the deputy commissioner of Kohima. There is a general order in force that no government servant be granted leave till the conclusion of the election process.

Nagaland governor Shyamal Datta issued the notification on Friday, approving leave to Zhaleo and appointing Paolal Hangsing, a 1993 cadre IAS officer, in his place. Hangsing has taken over charge since then. Zhaleo was posted as the deputy commissioner, Kohima, soon after the formation of the DAN government in March last year. He was earlier the state director of sports and youth resources.

“The election commission has directed that he (Zhaleo) be shifted to a position not related to elections,” chief secretary R.S. Pandey told The Telegraph. Pandey argued that leave was not to be granted so that the officials could be utilised for election duty as and when required. “In Zhaleo’s case, however, the order was not to place him on election duty. So he can proceed on leave,” Pandey said.

Sources said a meeting was held at the state secretariat today to discuss the issue. The chief secretary refused to comment on whether Zhaleo would be brought back as deputy commissioner in the state capital after the elections.

Zhaleo landed in a storm when the Nagaland PCC wrote to the Election Commission in March that the state government was not following the poll code of disallowing posting of election-related officials in their home districts. The government responded to this by pointing out that since Nagaland has a single parliamentary constituency, it would make no difference and prayed that the state be left out of the purview of the code.

The Election Commission responded to this by placing those states with single parliamentary constituencies out of the purview of the directive. However, the commission on Thursday wrote to the chief electoral officer of Nagaland, directing transfer of Zhaleo to some other place and approving posting of Hangsing as the new deputy commissioner of Kohima.

But, instead of giving Zhaleo another posting, the government granted him 30 days’ earned leave the day after the Election Commission approved his transfer.

“The Congress will bring this discrepancy in implementing government rules and regulations to the notice of the Election Commission,” a party leader said today.