Eastern legislators appeal ENPO to participate in ULB polls

DIMAPUR — The Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) has requested the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) to participate in the upcoming urban local body (ULB) elections in the state, scheduled on June 26.

According to the state minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change and Village Guards, CL John, the union, which comprises the 20 legislators from the eastern Nagaland region, have been appealing to the ENPO, and would continue to do so.

“If they do not participate in the election, they will not receive funds for urban local body which will be a loss to the people,” he said, on the sidelines of a book launch in Chümoukedima on Friday.

Earlier on April 30, State Election Commissioner TJ Longkumer notified the schedule of elections to the ULBs across three municipal councils — Dimapur, Kohima, and Mokokchung — and 36 town councils in Nagaland. The civic polls, last held in 2004, were stalled for two decades because of opposition to issues surrounding property tax and 33% quota for women.

Subsequently, the ENPO, on May 15, informed the SEC about the Eastern Nagaland people’s collective decision to abstain from participating in the poll.

The organisation said the decision “should not be misconstrued as opposition to the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2023 with 33 per cent reservation for women”, but a commitment to upholding the Chenmoho Resolution of February 2024, not to participate in any central or state election in protest against the Ministry of Home Affairs’ failure to create the autonomous Frontier Nagaland Territory.

Since then, the SEC as well as the Nagaland Cabinet have appealed to the ENPO to reconsider their decision, but the organisation has remained firm

It may be recalled that the people of the six eastern districts of Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang had, as per the same resolution, abstained from participating in the Lok Sabha elections on April 19 when Nagaland went to polls for its lone parliamentary seat.