Mokokchung, 10 November (MTNews): A day after the NLA passed the Nagaland Municipal Bill 2023 by a voice vote, the State of Nagaland informed the Supreme Court on Friday that the required rules would be framed within a month, and that the election process would be completed by April 2024. This development followed the top court’s earlier inquiries, where it had asked the state about the implementation timeline for reservations and the expeditious framing of rules.
The Advocate General for Nagaland reported that the bill, granting 33% reservation to women in urban local bodies, was passed yesterday. Responding to this, a bench led by Justice SK Kaul hailed it as “good news.”
The court recorded, ‘The Advocate General for the State of Nagaland brings us good news that the Assembly has passed a reservation Bill. Rules will have to be framed. According to him, rules will be framed within a month, and the election process will be completed by April 30, 2024.’
“You have been moving backward so far. Finally, you have gone forward,” Justice Kaul was quoted as saying by India Today.
The Court was addressing a plea alleging contempt by the State of Nagaland for not adhering to an earlier order directing it to conduct urban local body elections with a 33 percent reservation for women.
The Supreme Court had earlier criticized the Union for failing to implement the 1/3rd reservation for women, despite the political leadership being the same in the state and at the center.
The case revolves around the non-compliance of the Supreme Court’s February 2022 order instructing the State of Nagaland to introduce one-third women’s reservations in municipalities and town councils.