Nagaland Governor P.B. Acharya has summoned the Seventh (Emergent)session of the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly at 9.30 a.m. on February 5, 2015 at the assembly hall, Kohima. Stating this through a release, A.E.Lotha spl. secretary NLA cited Clause(I) of Article 174 of the constitution of India for summoning the special session.
Party whips: In another notification, NLA special secretary A.E. Lotha informed that, Er. T.L. Semdok, vice president & in-charge NCP, Nagaland has appointed L. Khumo as the Chief Whip of the NCP w.e.f. from January 28, 2015. Meanwhile, JD (U) party Nagaland president Mhonjan Lotha has appointed B.S. Nganlang Phom as the Chief Whip of the JD (U) Party w.e.f. from January 28, 2015
As reported earlier by Nagaland Post, Governor Acharya, who returned to Kohima from Delhi on Sunday, had finally made up his mind for convening a special session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly to hold a floor test, as directed by the union Home Ministry. It may also be recalled, that the cabinet on January 15, requested the Governor to summon the house for a floor test for January 20 in order to clear the political logjam for chief minister T.R. Zeliang to prove that his ministry enjoyed majority support of the house.
The argument that the political logjam was “an internal matter of the NPF” that had to be resolved internally through reconciliation etc. has however proved totally impractical given the fact that the NPF factions have veered farther and farther away from the point of reconciliation since the bitter rancor of nearly a month. According to sources close to both camps, the issue was on who blinks first, a pseudonym for “surrender”.
With all 60 MLAs who would be asked to be present for the floor test, T.R. Zeliang government has the support of 16 NPF (excluding the Speaker, who may cast his vote in case of a tie) +2 (NCP & JD-U) +7 Independent legislators totaling 25. NPF (Kaito) has 21 NPF+1 Ind= 22.
The BJP having four legislators, is a pre-poll ally of the NPF-led DAN coalition government. It remains to be seen how all four BJP legislators vote during the floor test.
Three of the BJP legislators who had claimed merger after causing a split in the NPC legislature, had been disqualified by the Speaker on a complaint from the NCP under the Tenth Schedule of the constitution. The disqualification was set aside by the Kohima Bench and the principal bench of the Gauhati High Court. The NCP then filed a Special Leave Petition against the high court judgment with the Supreme Court. In response, the Supreme Court accepted the SLP and fixed February 10 as the date of hearing.
The Congress has eight legislators and their votes could prove crucial in the floor test in case of any eventuality.
Gov accepts resignations
Governor of Nagaland P.B.Acharya has accepted the resignations of Noke Wangnao (Minister of PHE) and Dr. Benjongliba Aier (Minister of Agriculture) on February 1, 2015. The two had resigned from the cabinet on January 7, 2015.
In a communiqué dated February 1, cabinet secretary C.J. Ponraj informed that the Governor accepted the resignations of the two from the council of ministers as recommended by the chief minister.
NPF (Noke) welcomes summoning of NLA
NPF (Noke) through its press and media cell, has welcomed the decision of the state Governor in summoning a special session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on February 5.
Expressing confidence that the “democratic process will be upheld” the media cell also hoped that “true democracy will be allowed to prevail, where the voice of the people will be allowed to be expressed without any favouritism in a fee and fair manner.”
Further, it said the NPF under its president Noke Wangnao and legislature party leader G.Kaito Aye urged upon all members “ to understand the voice and mandate of the people of Nagaland and a conscience decision with political morality as responsible leaers who represent the people in the true spirit of democracy.”