Organisations urge govt. to frame new Municipal Act at the earliest

KOHIMA — Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat (AKMWP), All Wards Union Mokokchung Town (AWUMT) and Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation (DUCCF) along with town councils from Nagaland, have pressed the state government to frame a new Nagaland Municipal Act at the earliest, to expedite holding of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections in the state.

Informing this to Eastern Mirror, a representative from the association apprised that they were once again requesting the state government to draft an Act “which doesn’t infringe Article 371 (A)” so that the ULB elections could be held early.

It may be recalled that tribal hohos and civil societies protested against holding the elections to the ULB as directed by the Supreme Court, citing reasons that certain sections of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 infringed Article 371 (A).

The Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) then passed the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 (Repeal Bill, 2023) on March 28 during the first session of the 14th NLA, following which the cancellation of the poll was announced by the State Election Commission.

Meanwhile, the associations acknowledged the government for reciprocating their appeal to withhold the elections till such time the Act was revised.

“We are thankful that the government has repealed the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001,” the official said.

Asserting that the Act was “copy paste,” he emphasised that the new Act has to be drafted in the “context of the Nagas unlike the previous one.”

He expressed hope that the government would bring out a new Act as desired by the people “that doesn’t infringe Article 371 (A) which is a special provision of the Indian Constitution,” in order that people would come forward to participate in the elections positively.

“Article 371(A) is a special provision given to the Nagas which has to be upheld,” he said while hoping that the government would expedite the election process by framing a new Act as soon as possible.

“We want ULBs to be formed but not with the previous Nagaland Municipal Act 2001. So we want the government to frame one new Act that doesn’t infringe Article 371 (A),” he said.

According to him, they were not against the government but were only protesting against the Act.

“We have been raising our voice on behalf of the Nagas. Now that the government has come to the negotiating table, let it do the needful at the earliest,” he said.