The Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) has called on the Nagaland Government to either enforce the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act in letter and spirit or initiate legal reforms, arguing that decades of selective enforcement have undermined the rule of law and public confidence.
In a statement issued by its Media Affairs cell, the CNCCI said the recent incident involving the NSF Finance Secretary at Prysm Lounge in Dimapur has exposed larger questions surrounding the implementation of the NLTP Act.
“The State Government must clearly state its position on the NLTP Act. After more than three decades, it is time to either enforce the Act in letter and spirit or initiate appropriate legal reforms. Continued ambiguity and selective enforcement undermine both the rule of law and public confidence,” the apex business body stated.
Questioning the enforcement of the prohibition law, the CNCCI said the continued operation of more than 30 restaurants, bars, pubs and lounges, as reflected in a recent meeting resolution, raises serious concerns.
It argued that the continued existence and operation of such establishments, despite the alleged sale and service of prohibited liquor, point to serious lapses in the implementation of the Act. In this regard, the CNCCI demanded their immediate closure.
The chamber further said that if the Dimapur Restaurant Union is a government-registered body and is found to be representing or facilitating establishments operating in contravention of the NLTP Act, the competent authority should review its registration and take appropriate action, including cancellation if warranted under the law.
Referring to the altercation at Prysm Lounge, the CNCCI condemned what it described as student leaders taking the law into their own hands, saying that law enforcement is the responsibility of the competent authorities, even if grievances existed against the establishment.
The organisation also expressed concern over the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) describing the intervention of the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) as that of a “third party.”
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According to the CNCCI, the matter was directly related to the business community in Dimapur and therefore fell within the legitimate mandate of the DCCI. It said such a characterisation reflected a misunderstanding of the role of recognised civil society organisations and representative bodies in protecting the interests of their stakeholders.
The CNCCI also commended the DCCI for what it described as its proactive efforts in safeguarding the interests of the business community and praised the DCCI Grievance Cell for promptly responding to the incident and assessing the situation.
Further, the chamber urged the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), which it described as an organisation held in high esteem by the Naga public, to clarify the institutional measures it intends to adopt to prevent similar incidents in the future, stating that such clarification would help reinforce public confidence.
