DIMAPUR: The Nagaland government, on Thursday (May 16), appealed to the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) and its constituent bodies to participate in the upcoming urban local body elections in the state, slated for June 26.
Addressing a press conference on the issues of public emergency declared by the ENPO in eastern Nagaland areas and its decision to abstain from central and state elections at the secretariat conference hall in Kohima, Nagaland power and parliamentary affairs minister KG Kenye said the state cabinet earlier held a meeting to deliberate on the sequence of events that took place and also the organisation’s latest statement to abstain from the civic body elections.
The ENPO boycotted the April 19 Lok Sabha elections in the state against the delay by the Centre to settle the offer for creation of Frontier Nagaland Territory before the announcement of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Kenye said no quarters have any misunderstanding or misconception on the issue of ENPO’s demand for Frontier Nagaland Territory.
He clarified that the state government recommended the case to the Union ministry of home affairs.
Kenye explained that the elections to the urban local bodies are being conducted at the direction of the Supreme Court after a prolonged legal battle involving the women’s reservation in the civic bodies in the state in the larger interest of the public and their welfare.
He said the urban local bodies are semi-autonomous bodies for local self-governments to manage their own affairs at their own local levels.
Reiterating the appeal to the ENPO and its constituent bodies to actively participate in the upcoming elections to bring in more funds from the Centre for further develop the town councils, Kenye said the civic body elections are for grassroots-level developments and upliftment of our citizens.