Govt. orders Chuchuyimlang to revoke expulsion diktat

Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, March 15 (EMN): The administration of Mokokchung has ordered Chuchuyimlang Village Council, in the district, to immediately revoke a diktat that was stated to have expelled six villagers. They included a Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party candidate to the recent assembly elections.
A notice from the district’s deputy commissioner Sachin Jaiswal carried a directive that the council revoke the decree against Mayang Lima—a candidate at 22th Arkakong assembly constituency during the election and who hails from said village—and his supporters. The council has been ordered to comply immediately or face dissolution.
The administration termed the council’s act unethical and illegal and one against the constitutional provisions of a democratic state. The administration issued the order after receiving complaints about the misconduct of the Chuchuyimlang council, it was informed.
According to the complaint, the council had excommunicated Mangyang Lima from the village for a period of 11 years with effect from Feb. 1 2018 and till Jan. 31 2030 for contesting in the elections to the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
The council is also stated to have intimidated supporters of said candidate by imposing fine—payment in the form of pigs—on March 12. Besides, it expelled village council members Yarensosang, Imkongsowa, Imtisunep, Limaakum and Tinumeren, who refused to comply with the decree imposed by the village’s council.
The administration has informed that the procedure to remove members of village councils has been prescribed by rule-9 (1) (a) of the Village Council Act of 1978; the power to do so rests with the state government of Nagaland and not with the village council.
While reminding that the council was appointed by the government through the Village Council Act of 1978, the administration has asked the village council to abide by the state’s rules as they were an instrument of the government itself.
The administration has warned that failure on the part of the Chuchuyimlang Village Council to act as directed and in accordance with the legal provisions would be a ground for dissolution of the council by employing section-54 (1) of the Village Council Act.
Prior to the assembly elections, the deputy commissioner of Mokokchung had issued an official notice on Feb. 16 directing village councils, and any organization or group in the district, not to restrict movement of citizens or contesting candidates in their respective village. It is against the law: article 21 of the Constitution of India and against the pronouncements of Gauhati High Court. Failure to comply would invite strict action against the violators, the notice had stated.