Don't provide transport to Brus refugees on poll day: Mizo civil societies

NGO Coordination Committee, an umbrella organisation of civil societies and student bodies in Mizoram, has urged all political parties to refrain from arranging transport for Bru voters lodged in Tripura relief camps, during the November 28 polls.

The committee's chairman, Vanlalruata told PTI that the civil societies had also appealed to the parties and candidates not to solicit votes from the 11,000-odd Brus housed in the six relief camps in North Tripura district.

Election to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly will be held on November 28.

The civil societies, however, did not object to the parties' campaigning inside Mizoram.

"We do not like election campaign in the relief camps where many inmates refused to return to Mizoram despite several attempts by the Centre and the state government. The civil societies also made repeated pleas to them to return," Vanlalruata said.
 

Besides, organising transportation by a political party or candidate for voters is also against the election laws, he said.

The newly appointed Chief Electoral Officer of Mizoram Ashish Kundra recently said Bru voters in Tripura relief camps were likely to cast their votes at Kanhmun village in Mamit district of Mizoram, which borders Tripura.

The civil societies are against the enrolment of fresh voters in the relief camps, especially without conducting public hearings.