Kohima, Jun 30 (IANS): The Election Commission has started the initial process to train up the district level officials on Wednesday even as the election to the Nagaland assembly is around eight months away.

Conducted by resource persons from the Election Commission and India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management, a two-day training programme for the Deputy Commissioners and District Election Officers began to equip the district level officials with knowledge and skill for the general election to the Nagaland legislative assembly, expected to be held in February next year.

Inaugurating the training programme, Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer V. Shashank Shekhar emphasised the important role played by the district electoral machinery headed by the Deputy Commissioners and District Election Officers in the overall conduct and management of the entire electoral process.

He observed that recently the IAS Academy in Mussoorie along with the Union Ministry of Personnel had organised a commemorative webinar on 250 years of the institution of the District Collector.

The CEO also stated that election management and related work is a good area to serve society.

Shashank Shekhar hoped that all concerned will benefit from the knowledge of the resource persons.

The next general election to the Nagaland assembly is very crucial in view of the ongoing Naga peace talks between the central government and the Naga groups specially the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah).

All the political parties and the state government are keen to resolve the much expected Naga issue before the assembly polls. The all party opposition less government was formed last year to take forward the peace talk issue.

The NSCN-IM's repeated insistence on a separate Naga flag and Constitution have become a big hurdle in the way of resolving the much expected Naga issue.