Imphal, February 01: Except for the Independent candidates nominated by the United Naga Council (UNC), the UNC has imposed restrictions on other Independent Naga candidates from contesting in the forthcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly Election in the hill districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel and Tamenglong.

Making its stand clear to Newmai News Network today, the UNC said that those intending candidates who had signed the UNC�s declaration paper on January 16 at Taphou Community Hall, Senapati but had not been nominated as the consensus candidates should uphold Clause-7 of the declaration paper.

Sixty intending candidates appended their signatures on Clause-7 of the declaration paper which states �I declare that I will accept without any reservation of whatsoever, the candidature of the particular person who is determined by the Naga people represented by the UNC to be consensus candidates�.

The UNC today disclosed that based on the above mentioned Clause -7 of the declaration and undertaking, it had served intimation on January 24 to all those candidates who had not been nominated by the UNC to withdraw their candidatures.

However, till the time of filing of this news story, the UNC has not declared the names of its candidates for the Assembly Constituencies of Nungba, Tengnoupal and Chandel.

The UNC has also taken strong exception to the news report in The Sangai Express, in its Janaury 30 edition under the caption �UNC cautions dissenters�, where the newspaper quoted UNC chief KS Paul Leo, as stating, �there would be no such restriction against independent candidates�.

Pointing to this quote, UNC information and publicity secretary S Milan dismissed the report as totally false and termed it as concocted news report filed by the staff reporter of The Sangai Express which is misleading the general public�.

The UNC also appealed to all constituent tribe Hohos and districts� apex Naga organisations of the UNC for support and co-operation for success of UNC�s consensus candidates.