State government drafting new Nagaland Land Law, says Advisor of Law and Justice

Dimapur: The state government is drafting a new Nagaland Land Law which needs to be re-examined on the basis of Naga customary law and order practices, said TN Mannen, Advisor of Law and Justice.

Mannen was speaking at his felicitation programme-cum-meeting at the Directorate of Land Record and Survey (DLRS) conference hall, Dimapur, on Wednesday.

He asserted that DLRS is one of the key departments for developmental changes in the state, and expressed excitement on seeing it taking up the Nagaland Land Law.

He said the state government has drafted the law but has to be re-examined on the basis of the Naga customary law, adding that they are trying to re-constitute the committee to re-examine the drafted law.

It may be mentioned that the state government is currently following the Assam Land Law.

Stressing on the importance of revenue collection, which is an important issue in the new land law, he expressed hope that people will realise revenue collection is an essential part of development in Nagaland.

On the recent repealing of Nagaland Municipal Act 2001, he joked that Nagas “woke up after sleeping for 22 years”, while pointing out that the Act was not in consonance with the customary practices of the Nagas.

Speaking about taxation, he opined that no state will progress unless the people practice a legal system of collecting revenue.

The Article 371(A) does not mention anything about not collecting taxes, but it will be a very crucial issue in the Nagaland Land Revenue Act, as ‘Nagas say it is not in consonance with the customary practices’, he said.

The advisor also explained that the Revenue Act should make it possible for the lands in the state to be mortgageable for any kind of loan or activities for various schemes, because at present, Nagas are deprived of many schemes provided in the country.

He maintained that Article 371 (A) is “very clear” that even though land is prohibited to be transferred to non-Nagas, it is transferable among the Naga community.

“This Land Revenue Act is very challenging, which is very much in tune for the benefit of the Nagas but they do not understand that,” he stated, adding that they (people) need to have a serious discussion on this issue.

“For developmental activities to take place, Land Act is a must so that land can be mortgageable and resources will flow into the state,” he stated.

He asserted that Nagas are “very apprehensive” about the protection of customary law and practices but “realism should be the driving force for change”.

Further, he opined that in Nagaland, there is no streamlining of the customary law but each tribe and village has its own customary practices.

Revenue officers from Kohima, Dimapur, and Chümoukedima; Land Records and Survey department; and DILRMP-Zymax/CSS-Geo Spatial Co, Kolkata, also gave powerpoint presentations during the programme.