Mokokchung, 26 March (MTNews): The Nagaland government has decided to go ahead with the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections scheduled to be held on 16 May. This was resolved by the Nagaland Cabinet after a meeting in Kohima on Sunday.
Nagaland government spokesperson and Minister of Power and Parliamentary Affairs, KG Kenye, told Northeast Live that the cabinet decided to “go ahead with the ULB polls as the state government is obliged to fulfill the directions of the Supreme Court.”
The Cabinet decision comes amid rising opposition from various tribal hohos and civil society organizations against the ULB polls.
Kenye went on to state that the reasons for opposing the polls have “broadened” with the issue not only confined to 33% reservation for women and land tax, but also the “supposed infringement” of Article 371(A) of the constitution.
The Minister further stated that although the cabinet has not been informed, they have learned from reliable sources that the leading civil society organizations have scheduled a meeting for Monday, 27 March.
When asked about the NSCN-IM statement opposing the conduct of the ULB polls on Naga Plebiscite Day, the minister responded by saying that the government would not get into that issue, but would rather let the Election Commission handle it.