Mokokchung, July 26 (MTNews): The Association of Kohima Municipal Ward Panchayat (AKMWP), the Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation (DUCCF) and the All Ward Union Mokokchung Town (AWUMT) have submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio seeking amendment of the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 by deleting various sections that infringe upon Article 371 (A) of the Constitution of India.
The three organizations stated in the memorandum that any Act of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly that infringes upon Article 371 (A) of the constitution of India is not acceptable. They also said that the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 and its further amendments infringe upon Article 371(A) which, if not rectified, would “set a precedent detrimental to the rights of the Naga people as enshrined in the Constitution of India.”
The memorandum was signed by the AKMWP President Thejao Sekhose, the President of DUCCF, Tsenthungo Nyamo and the President of AWUNT, Limanungsang.
They further stated that the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 and the three amendments to it in the years 2006, 2007 and 2016 “do not expunge the said Act’s infringement upon Article 371 (A).”
“As such, it is deemed fit to rectify the Act and delete those section, clause(s) that infringes social, customary and traditional practices of the Nagas from the principal Act with another amendment before any ULB election is conducted,” the memorandum said.
The three organizations also urged the Government of Nagaland to hold the ULB elections at the earliest after due rectification and amendment of the Act. Further, it lamented that the government of Nagaland has not invited the three bodies to any consultative meeting with regard to the ULB election.
Meanwhile, in the copy of the memorandum which was made available to the media on Tuesday, the Chief Minister on July 26 directed the Chief Secretary to examine and call for consultation and also seek legal opinion from the Advocate General (AG) to amend the Act as requested.
The three organizations had earlier on July 22 met in Kohima where they resolved to submit the memorandum to the Chief Minister in regard to the Nagaland Municipal Act. It was also resolved that the three organizations shall “not cooperate and coordinate” in the “intensive revision of the electoral rolls for the Municipal and Town council in Nagaland.”