The case of Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang’s educational qualification is taking the shape of a long legal battle. After the Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Peren dismissed the case on the grounds that they were barred by time limitation and cited ‘political vendetta.’
KN Balgopal, Advocate for Complainants Maziezokho and KK Kulimbe said they were within the limitation period as per the Supreme Court and High Court orders and further questioned the remark made against the petitioners.
Balgopal maintained that magistrate, who was asked to decide only the question of limitation, had gone beyond the brief by making remarks against the petitioners, accusing them of political vendetta.
Following this, an appeal was taken up at the Gauhati High Court Kohima bench before Justice LS Jamir. The hearing for which was held on August 18.
Balgopal informed the judge that in the event the case goes in their favor, they would not want to revert the case to JMFC Peren for trail.
The next hearing is to be held on September 14.
Chief Minister’s days are numbered: Congress
The NPCC stated that the chief minister’s days appear to be numbered. If the Magistrate convicts Zeliang, his nomination papers would be deemed rejected from the date of filing of the same.
The NPCC has said that “T.R. Zeliang, in the 2018 Assembly Elections, will dare to write in his affidavit before the Election Commission in the column pertaining to educational qualifications that he has passed B.A. Exam in 1979 in the light of the fact that the University and college authority have already furnished documents to show that Mr. Zeliang failed in all the subjects in the year 1979 and didn’t appear in 1980”?