Mokokchung, 20 March (MTNews): The Ao Senden has on Monday stated that it rejects the ‘election programme’ notified by the State Election Commission of Nagaland on 9 March to conduct elections to the Municipal and Town Councils in the state. Terming it as an imperious and domineering act, the Ao Senden stated in a press release that the State Election Commission has not only acted against the wishes of the people of Nagaland but was also dictatorial in nature and therefore unacceptable.
The Ao Senden stated that it has on 20 March at its Executive Council meeting resolved to stand by the memorandum submitted to the Government of Nagaland on 30 May 2017 on the matter of demand for amendment to the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001.
“Further, in order to protect and preserve the constitutional rights of the Naga people as enshrined in the Constitution of India, it was resolved that no ULB election will be allowed to be conducted in Ao region unless and until the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 is amended as demanded and desired by the people,” it added.
The Ao Senden further stated that it has also firmly resolved that, in the event of the ULB election being “overbearingly forced upon the people in its current form, every Ao citizen shall be barred from participating in it to safeguard the greater interest and rights of the Naga people.”
In its memorandum to the government of Nagaland on 30 May 2017, the Ao Senden had written that the Nagaland Municipal Act 2021 with its amendments be replaced by a “new Act” that is acceptable and applicable to Naga society and in consonance with the Naga customs and usages or “delete inappropriate sections of the laws therefrom.”
In its 2017 memorandum, the Ao Senden had argued that “ownership and possessory rights of the land in Nagaland are quite different which needs appropriate laws in the Municipal Act suited to the ownership rights.” It was also mentioned that payment of taxes or revenue as per the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 was not applicable in Naga society and that the rights guaranteed under Article 371A clause 1-4 cannot be taken away by any Act of the Parliament.
“The Legislative Assembly of Nagaland has absolute right to make laws thereof. Therefore, the new laws should be enacted suited to our society,” it had maintained.
It was also mentioned then that “the new Municipal Act should be simple as Town Committee Rules 1954 delegating power to the respective municipalities to make rules of its own.”
It had also demanded that, “if Amendment is passed, Amendment of sub-section 123 (The Nagaland Municipal Third Amendment) Act 2016 must be deleted as it contradicts with the omission of Section 120 (1) (a) 3 (ii).”
“Sections to grant reservation of women should be deleted from the present Act and the same should be replaced by nominations with voting rights,” it was suggested in the 2017 memorandum.
Further, the 2017 memorandum also said that “a draft copy be made available to all societies/tribes for further scrutiny and comments before such new Act /Amendments come into force.”
Rengma Hoho for amendment of NMA 2001
Meanwhile, the Rengma Hoho during its Executive Body meeting held on 20 March 2023 at its Oking Tseminyu reiterated its earlier resolution of 2016 that the Rengma Hoho and its frontal Organizations shall restrain its members from participating in the Town Election within the Tseminyu District till such time the Government amend the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001, Section 120 and 123 “Tax on Lands and Buildings” by abrogating it from the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001.
The Hoho, however, stated that it will stand on 74th Amendment Act 1992 (iv) “Reservation of seats” and said that it expects the Government of Nagaland to not discount the special provision, Article 371A of the Constitution of India.