Nagaland: Reservation for women chairpersons in ULBs unlikely

DIMAPUR — The provision to reserve chairperson posts to women in the urban local bodies (ULBs) is likely to be done away with after consulting with the civil society organizations (CSOs) and tribal hohos.

This was revealed by Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland, TR Zeliang, who is also the convenor of the seven-member select committee for examining the Nagaland Municipal Bill, 2023, after the panel meeting at Rhododendron Hall, Police Complex in Chumoukedima on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Power and Parliamentary Affairs Nagaland, K.G. Kenye; Minister of Rural Development Nagaland, Mestubo Jamir; Advisor of Urban development and Municipal Affairs, Zhale Rio; Advisor of Department of Agriculture, Mhathung Yanthan; and Chief Secretary of Nagaland, J. Alam.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Zeliang said that the committee members had expressed the intention to remove the contentious provision for reservation of chairperson posts in the ULBs during the deliberation on the matter.

However, he said that the committee had decided to proceed with the 33% reservation for women in the ULB elections, as waiting for the Supreme Court’s deliberative judgment would result in a loss for the people.

Informing that Thursday’s meeting was convened on short notice to address matters concerning the ULB election, he said the house also resolved to hold a consultation meeting with the CSOs and tribal hohos in the coming days, after which they would formulate and prepare recommendations for submission to the Assembly.

In the upcoming consultative meeting with CSOs and tribal hohos, he said the committee will present the content of the Act, propose the amendments they intend to make, highlight the sections to be removed, and address the considerations they have taken into account based on their demands.

The deputy CM further said that the third session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) has been summoned on November 9, necessitating the select committee to thoroughly review, take a decision and submit its recommendations to the house. This, he said, will ensure the amendment to the Nagaland Municipal Act 2023 is presented during the NLA emergency session and accordingly passed to pave the way for the smooth conduct of the much-delayed ULB elections in the state.

Mentioning that the ULB election has been pending in Nagaland due to concerns raised in connection with the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001, he said it has resulted in the removal of the provisions related to land and property tax.

The primary objective of the select committee is to assess whether the Women’s Reservation Act infringes Article 371 (A) or not, he said, adding that the state cabinet had already decided to proceed with the ULB election.

On safety measures taken by NHIDCL

When asked about the actions taken by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) after the fatal rockfall incident on the Pakala Pahar stretch of the NH-29, Zeliang replied that the issue was raised during a recent meeting with the Union Minister for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in Guwahati.

He added that the NHIDCL had assured to address the issue separately without including it in the existing contract agreement; they will prepare a separate cost estimate and obtain a separate sanction for addressing the issues concerning the Pakala Pahar stretch of road on the NH-29.

Zeliang also pointed out that a significant number of ongoing projects in Nagaland have come to a standstill due to issues with the landowners. To address hindrances posed by the landowners, he said the government is in the process of formulating the State Land Laws.