Mokokchung, 26 March (MTNews): The Nagaland Gaon Bura Federation (NGBF) said today that conducting the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in Nagaland at this stage is “not fully the will of the Nagas.”
Joining the bandwagon of various civil society and tribal organizations opposed to the conduct of ULB elections, the NGBF said in a press release today that the Naga customary law, as per the agreed terms of 1960, does not warrant the creation of urban local bodies. It added that the village, area and range councils alone can be made operational. According to the federation, the agreement of 1960 between the government of India and the Naga People’s Convention addressed the formation of a legislative assembly in Nagaland with separation of powers from the Parliament of India.
It further said that the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001, section (9) (2) that divides the villages into wards and section 21(2) of the Act “do not fit into the scheme of article 371 (A) (1) (a) and infringing in any manner is not encouraged.”
The State Election Commission of Nagaland had issued notification for the conduct of elections to three municipal councils and 36 town councils in the state with polls scheduled to be held on 16 May. The Nagaland government has stated that the state authorities are duty-bound to conduct the urban local body elections as notified, as per the directive of the Supreme Court.
On this, the NGBF said that the Supreme Court’s directive is “an outcome of our failure in convincing the Court on the political negotiations between the Government of India and Naga National Political Groups and the concerned party should take responsibility for it.”
The NGBF noted that the Naga political solution drawn between the NPGs and GoI has been discussed in all the forums including that of Nagaland legislators.
“We are made to understand that the formation of bicameral house and federal Hoho and the structuring of the administration of the Federal Hoho, would be decided after the political solution,” it said.
The NGBF, while saying that there is no need for the ULB polls at this stage, added, “If at all we are serious of our Naga political solution, the political reality should be let known to the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.”
However, the federation said that it is in support of any developmental initiatives of the government for the betterment of the public and the urban local bodies are no exception. It also congratulated the newly-elected government headed by the chief minister Neiphiu Rio.