Dimapur, Dec. 22: Amidst opposition from various Naga civil society orgaisations, the Nagaland Government has directed the State Election Commission to hold the general election to constitute the municipal and town councils in the State with 33% reservation of seats for women on February 1, 2017. The government earlier on December 2 and 15 had notified holding of elections to urban local bodies in the State.
Accordingly, the State Election Commissioner has notified the schedule for the civic body elections.
With the announcement of the schedule for the election, the model code of conduct for guidance of all the political parties and candidates will come into operation with immediate effect within the entire municipal and town councils going to poll. The model code of conduct will be applicable to all candidates, political parties in the State and the State Government machinery, the State Election Commission notification said.
The notification said the electoral rolls for the ensuing election to the municipal and town councils have been prepared with reference to January 1, 2016 as the qualifying date and finally published on November 29 and 20, 2016. Copies of the electoral roll can be had from the respective returning officers of the municipal and town councils, it said.
In order to safeguard against personation under Rule 54 of the Nagaland Municipal Rule, 2003, the State Election Commission has decided that compulsory identification of the voters will be made in the ensuing general election to the municipal and town councils in the State. The Commission will issue separate instructions in this regard.
The Naga Hoho and Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization on December 10 served a 15-day ultimatum to the State Government to convene a special session of the Assembly and restore the 22nd September 2012 Assembly resolution on the issue of 33% reservation for women in the election to urban local bodies.
The ultimatum issued to the Chief Minister warned that the Naga Hoho and the ENPO will be compelled to initiate their own course of action against his government if it fails to convene a special session and restore the 22nd September 2012 Assembly Resolution within 15 days.
Both the organisations said even if the State went ahead to implement conduct of polls, the government would be embarrassed due to people’s non-participation.
NPF notification on candidates
Following the State Election Commission’s notification on December 21 for conduct of elections to the urban local bodies, NPF secretary general KG Kenye, in a notification, on Thursday has directed the nomination committees for the municipal and town council election which were constituted earlier to immediately forward and submit their respective list of the proposals of candidates to the central office for final approval on or before December 30, 2016.
