NLA likely to pass Nagaland Municipal Bill 2023 tomorrow

KOHIMA — The Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) is likely to pass the Nagaland Municipal Bill 2023 at the Third Session (Emergent Session) of the 14th NLA tomorrow, Thursday, paving the way for the long-awaited Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in the state.

The Nagaland Municipal Bill 2023 was introduced in September this year after doing away with the contentious Municipal Act 2001 in March, over issues related to reservation of seats for women and taxation on property.

On November 3, a select committee for examining the new Bill was constituted with Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang as the convenor, after which the panel conducted a consultative meeting with three civil society organisations (CSOs) at the Capital Convention Centre Kohima on November 6.

Zeliang expressed hope that the new municipal bill would be passed during the assembly session on November 9, as there was “no adverse opinion” from the tribal leaders. He added that the 33 per cent reservation for women in the ULB would stand but the contentious women’s reservation for posts of chairperson and the clause on land and property tax would be deleted.

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