Nagaland chief minister, T.R. Zeliang, leaving aside all the opposition, Thursday affirmed that his government would go ahead with the implementation of 33% women reservation in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections.
He informed this to the media persons on the sidelines of IRCSN general meeting held at Raj Bhawan on Thursday. When asked about the stand of the government on the issue, which was opposed by Naga civil society organizations like Naga Hoho and Ao Senden, Zeliang said that the government would stand by the cabinet’s decision.
On August 11, Zeliang, at a function held in Kohima, announced the cabinet’s decision to implement the 33% women reservation in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) polls.
Following the announcement, Naga Hoho expressed surprise over the cabinet decision and appealed to the government “to keep the cabinet decision in abeyance without issuing the notification till the matter is settled amicably”. The hoho said that the cabinet went ahead with the decision “without consulting the civil societies as one of the major stake holders within the state”.
Ao senden, the apex body of the Ao community, also expressed its surprise over the decision and said the state government’s hustle to implement the said act when even the parliament was yet to pass the act. Ao Senden has said “it is also totally in contrary to the Indian constitution article 371 (A)” and also totally against the Ao custom.
Eastern Naga bodies back women quota ‘in principle’
A joint consultative meeting of all tribal hohos, frontal bodies, individuals and well wishers of Eastern Nagaland under the aegis of Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), held on August 17 at ACACIA hotel Dimapur, unanimously agreed “not to oppose (in principle)” the implementation of 33% women reservation in Municipal and Town Councils.
Informing this in a press note, ENPO general secretary, Manlang Phom said the house deliberated at length on the issue, after which majority of those present opined that “since NLA in 2006 passed an amendment Act of Nagaland 33% women reservation in Municipal/Town Councils, and basing on October 28, 2011 ENPO resolution no.14 and subsequent reaffirmation on October 12, 2012, the house unanimously resolved that ENPO on behalf of the people of Eastern Nagaland shall not to oppose (in principle) the implementation of 33% women reservation and leave the matter to the Supreme Court final verdict.”
Manlang further said that the house also resolved that the debate on 33% reservation should be purely and separately applied only in regard to Municipal and Town Councils “without any legal and political implications or infringement upon Article 371 A (1) (a).”