Govt revokes resolution on women reservation

[caption id="attachment_84975" align="alignnone" width="501"] The 14th session of the 12th Assembly in progress at Nagaland Legislative Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday.[/caption] KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 22 : Amid heated debates on the issue of reservation to urban local bodies in the newspapers, the Nagaland government today introduced the Nagaland Municipal (Third Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Assembly and also moved to revoke the Assembly Resolution of September 22, 2012 regarding to 33% women reservation in municipalities. During the proceedings of the first day of the winter session of the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) Tuesday, Parliamentary Secretary for Municipal Affairs R Tohanba, introducing a new Resolution that revokes the Resolution of 2012, read, “This House revokes with immediate effect the resolution passed by it under Article 371A(1)(a) of the Constitution of India on the 22nd September 2012 exempting Nagaland from the application of Part IXA of the Constitution of India”. He also moved the Nagaland Municipal (Third Amendment) Bill 2016 that seeks to amend the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 and will be coming into force immediately once it is passed by the State Assembly. The legislator, in a statement of “objects and reasons”, stated that after nearly a decade of debate and discussion on women reservation in municipal and town councils, the state government has finally decided to conduct polls to the municipalities in accordance with the provisions in the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 (including one-third reservation for women). “Some tribal bodies however pointed out some obvious discrepancies in the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 with respect to reservation for SCs and with respect to non-compliance of the Act with Article 371A(1)(a) of the Constitution of India in regard to levy and recovery process of taxes on land and buildings,” he pointed out, and further maintained that amendments have been accordingly proposed to the Act through this Bill. In the said Bill, the state government proposes to amend three sections and three sub-sections of the Municipal Act and omission of some entries and references in several sections. The words “Scheduled Castes” and the connected phrases and provisions relating to reservation for scheduled castes, all references and operative provisions relating to “tax on lands and buildings”, and “attachment and sale of a defaulter’s immovable property” are some of the points that are proposed for omission under various sections and sub-sections of the Act. Speaker Chotisuh Sazo said consideration and passing of the Resolution and the Municipal Act Amendment Bill will be taken up on November 24. He also informed that amendments (if any) on both the Resolution and the Bill are to be submitted by 12 noon on November 23. Nagaland Lokayukta Bill stalled again The public anticipation of seeing the Nagaland Lokayukta Bill 2015 passed during the current session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly will be doused yet again as the parliamentary secretary and chairman of the Select Committee on Nagaland Lokayukta Bill 2015, Levi Rengma moved in the Assembly today for extension of the tenure of the Select Committee for another six months to present its report. The Bill was introduced in the Assembly by the Chief Minister TR Zeliang in July 2015 and the Select Committee had, in July 2016, sought for an extension of six months to table its report. Various sections of the society have stridently been criticising the government’s accountability, or the lack of it, and have been demanding the enactment of Lokayukta in Nagaland. Even the Governor, PB Acharya has been reminding the state government openly the need to enact the Lokayukta Bill at the earliest, in the face of rise in scams, corruption and illegal rackets in the state. Meanwhile, during the day’s proceedings, the Nagaland Fisheries Service Rules (Second amendment) 2006 and 10 Assembly committee reports were also tabled. These includes the 124th report on the examination of the Estimates of Rural Development Department (MGNREGA), 125th report on the examination of the Estimates of School Education Department (SSA & RMSA) and the 126th report on the examination of the Estimates of Horticulture Department; the 48th report on Nagaland Irrigations & Flood Control Service (Group A & B) Rules 2014, 49th report on Action Taken by the Government on 29th report on the Nagaland Soil & Water Conservation Service Rules 1997, 50th report on the Nagaland Engineering Service Rules, 1997 (Class I & II), 51st Action Taken Report on Nagaland Secretariat (Civil) Stenographers Service Rules 1973, and 52nd Report on Action Taken by the Government on 27th Report of the Nagaland Tourism Service Rules, 2001; 90th Report of Committee on Government Assurances (3rd session of the 12th NLA), and the 91st Report of committee on Government Assurances (4th session of the 12th NLA). CM announces Rs 10 lakh aid to Pukhrayan victims Nagaland government on Tuesday announced to donate Rs10 lakh to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund towards the victims of the ill-fated Indore-Patna Express. Chief Minister TR Zeliang made the announcement at the ongoing 14th session of the 12th NLA. He said the country is under shock and grief over the November 20 Pukhrayan train accident, which, he termed, is one of the worst accidents, with more than 140 lives lost and over 100 injured. Zeliang stated that the state government will contribute Rs.10,00,000 towards relief for the victims on behalf of the people of Nagaland. He conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members and offered prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. The House also observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect for the lost lives.