Nagaland: Naga People's Front demands broad-based consultation with stakeholders before holding civic body polls

The Naga People's Front (NPF) opined that a broad-based consultation, especially on taxation on land and properties, is required with all the stakeholders before holding the civic body elections in Nagaland.

It said the municipal and town council elections, notified by the government on March 9, may be kept on hold till such time a consensus is arrived at.

The NPF, through its press bureau, expressed serious concern over the ongoing tussle between the various organisations/civil societies and the present government over the conduct of elections to the urban local bodies.

The party said it does not want the same story of 2017 to be repeated visa-a-vis the burning down of the government offices in Kohima, vandalisation of the private residents of the candidates, ex-communication of some of the candidates from their respective localities and loss of two precious lives in the run-up to the ULB elections with 33% reservation of seats for women.

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“Hence, the government of the day ought to think twice before rushing to conduct the election,” it said. 

Maintaining its stand on women empowerment and reiterating its support for reservation of quota for women quota in the civic bodies, the NPF, however, said the new proposal of the government for reservation of chairperson's posts in the ULBs for women is devoid of logic.

Meanwhile, in a letter to Nagaland's chief secretary on Saturday, the Angami Public Organisation (APO) reaffirmed its December 11, 2016, resolution in respect of elections to the municipal and town councils.

The organisation reaffirmed the resolution at its “extraordinary executive meeting” on March 17.

APO president Razouvoto Chatsu, in a release, on Saturday said after a marathon discussion over the issue of the Nagaland Municipal Act of 2001 vis-à-vis coming ULB elections, the house unanimously resolved to re-affirm its December 11, 2016, resolution that reads “Till such a space is provided for the amendment and necessary and clear-cut safeguard is provided to Article 371 (A), the APO has resolved not to allow the conduct of election to municipal and town councils in the Angami territories (Chumoukedima, Dimapur and Kohima districts)”.

The APO appealed to all political parties, intending candidates and individuals to refrain from filing nominations or nominating any candidate for the ULB elections. Any action in violation of this resolution will be viewed as a direct challenge to the APO, the letter cautioned.

It also reiterated its appeal to the new government to rectify all points in the Act which are against the interest of the Nagas. The APO further urges the government to seriously review the issue of women’s reservation before the coming ULB elections.