Playing by the rules

There are no long processions, no party posters and banners, no blaring microphones. No wonder then that Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Ly...

There are no long processions, no party posters and banners, no blaring microphones. No wonder then that Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh, during his visit earlier this week, praised the electioneering process in the state. And maintaining the discipline are two organisations — the Young Mizo Association (YMA) and the Church — which have issued their own sets of guidelines, making work easier for Lyngdoh’s officials in Mizoram.

The sun sets early here. After an early supper, the people make their way to the local community hall at Venghlui, a posh locality in the State Capital. The candidates for Aizawl South-I have already taken their seats on the dias. Sharp at 6:30 pm, W. Pahlira, president of the YMA branch at Venghlui, rings a bell. A senior resident reads a passage from the Bible. The 300-odd crowd close their eyes and pray.

That done, Pahlira reads out the rules of the game: no candidate will criticise his opponents and no party will speak ill of the others. As for the audience, there is to be no applause at the end of each candidate’s speech. None of the party candidates are allowed to bring their supporters. There are no gun-toting PSOs. Party pamphlets cannot be distributed. Each candidate gets to speak for 30 minutes. At the end of all the speeches, tea is served. Candidates can then utilise this time to interact with the voters.

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‘‘We cannot allow the typical goonda-gardi of Bihar or UP that we see on television screens. It will shatter the social discipline that has been in existence in the state for long. Therefore, the Young Mizo Association has been organising such public platforms for the candidates for the past three elections,’’ said Pahlira, who teaches science at the local higher secondary school.

All Mizos have to be members of the YMA at some point of their lives. ‘‘I too was an active member of the YMA when I was a youth,’’ said State Chief Secretary Lalhringa.

‘‘The YMA has infused a fantastic sense of discipline and responsibility among the people,’’ said K Liantlinga, a leading sports organiser who is also a candidate for the Aizawl South II constituency. He has the joint backing of the Zoram National Party and Mizo People’s Conference.

The Church too has stepped in to reinforce the order imposed by the YMA among both the candidates and their voters. Last week, the Synod Mission Board, which is the apex body of the Presbyterian Church controlling the majority of the Mizos, issued a set of guidelines for all political parties.

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‘‘We have told them that they should not create chaos in public life by speaking on microphones and littering the places with pamphlets and posters. The parties have also been told to refrain from using money or muscle power to influence voters,’’ said Rev C. Rosiama, Executive Secretary of the Synod Mission Board.

Earlier, polls were not so disciplined. ‘‘But with the Church stepping in after considering it our duty to inform the people about God’s wish for peace, things have improved significantly,’’ added Reverend Rosiama.

The Church has also directed the people to carefully consider the character and personality of the candidates before casting their votes. ‘‘And we have mobilised a general awareness about how it is the solemn duty of every eligible voter to exercise his franchise in a democratic set-up,’’ said Rev Rosiama.