DIMAPUR, OCT 5 (NPN): National People’s Party (NPP) on Monday filed separate petitions before the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) speaker seeking disqualification of the five MLAs who joined the Naga People’s Front (NPF) last week.
In a press release, NPP national vice president Vevoyi D Wideo said the petitions had been filed against each legislator under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which contains provisions on disqualification on grounds of defection.
“We respect the constitutional office of the Speaker and will place our case before him in accordance with law,” Wideo said.
The petitions follow the October 1, 2026 move by A Nyamnyei Konyak (48 Moka A/C), Nuklutoshi (22 Arkakong A/C), C Kipili Sangtam (59 Seyochung-Sitimi A/C), Dr. Tseilhoutuo Rhutso (9 Kohima Town A/C) and Benei M Lamthiu (57 Thonoknyu A/C) to join the NPF. The five had been elected on NPP tickets in the 2023 Assembly election.
The assembly speaker subsequently declared their merger with NPF effective from October 1 under Paragraph 4(2) of the Tenth Schedule and the Members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 2019. The move took the NPF’s strength in the 60-member House to 39.
NPP had earlier rejected the move as a merger, maintaining that a merger under the Tenth Schedule required a decision involving the political parties concerned. The party had said it was examining the October 1 notification declaring the merger and would pursue remedies available under the Constitution, the Tenth Schedule and applicable law.
