DIMAPUR: The Nagaland Gaon Bura (village chiefs) Federation said “it is not the full will of the Nagas” for conducting the urban local body (ULB) elections in Nagaland at this stage.
The federation, in a release, on Sunday expressed its reservation on holding civic body polls slated for May 16 in the backdrop of complaints from tribal hohos (bodies) and civil society organisations over the elections.
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The State Election Commission of Nagaland on March 10 issued notification for the conduct of elections to three municipal councils and 36 town councils in the state with 33% reservation of seats for women.
The Nagaland government said the state authorities, as per the directive of the Supreme Court, are duty-bound to conduct the urban local body (ULB) elections as notified.
The federation said, “The Supreme Court directive is an outcome of our failure to convince the court on the political negotiations between the Government of India and Naga national political groups. The concerned party should take responsibility for it.”
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It said the Naga political solution between the Naga political groups and the government of India 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. Therefore, conducting the local body election at this stage is not the full will of the Nagas,” it said.
The federation opined that “if at all we are serious about our Naga political solution, the political reality should be made known to the Supreme Court of India”.
It observed that 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.
According to the federation, 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.
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Noting that Article 243 cannot be applied to Nagaland, including the 73rd amendment of the Constitution, the village chiefs body said section (9) (2) of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 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 added that infringing it in any manner is not encouraged.
However, the federation said 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.