DIMAPUR, AUGUST 25 (MExN): The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) today extended support to the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) and the Eastern Naga Womens’ Organisation (ENWO) for implementation of the 33% women reservation bill in Nagaland state and the same to be adhered during the municipal election or while constitution of Urban Local Bodies (ULB).
A press note from the ENSF stated that Nagaland should replicate the system adopted by the state of Kerala, where women’s’ share/reservation is about 50% “where its governance is just and efficient.”
It noted that women already enjoy 33% reservation in Gram Panchayat and Municipal election in India. “However, in regard to special provision under Art 371 (a) where it states that No act of Parliament unless passed by the state legislatures shall be enforceable in the state of Nagaland, it may be noted that the Nagaland State Legislative Assembly had already declared for municipal and Town Council election in accordance to the central Municipal act where 33% of Women Reservation had been duly inculcated or should be strictly adhered,” it said.
“While considering the emancipation of women from the clutch of inferiority to men, and while duly upholding the need for progress and development, the municipal election in the state of Nagaland should be processed as declared by the State Government,” the ENSF said.
It appealed to all the Naga Civil Society and politicians to unite for progress and development “rather than dragging us back to the primitive state and thoughts.” It hoped that the government would immediately and seriously strive for accommodating Naga women folk in the governing system. “It should also be seriously noted that the issues pertaining to the 33% women reservation should not hamper the Municipal and Town council election in any manner.
Any element that restrains the moves should be discouraged in the interest of development and progress,” it stated.
The ENSF asked Naga Civil Society to understand that in the absence of good governing system or body in the state, many centrally sponsored schemes or fund mean for development are being deprived to the people. It is also disheartening to know that about 30-35% of the state shares are being diverted for this purpose, it added.
The ENSF advised that in accordance to the 74th amendment act of 1992, which aim to decentralise the governing system by empowering the urban local bodies along with the constitutional rights to exist, the Nagaland state Government should amend its municipal law whereby empowering the ULBs with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as institution of self governance. While supporting the move towards 33% women reservation in the state, the ENSF stated that there is need to look at the “pathetic and ghostly state of those so called urban towns in the Eastern Region.”
It asked that the State Government in accordance to the 74th CAA, should “immediately resolve to ensure that urban local bodies (ULBs) should be immediately empowered with constitution rights for self governance.” The ENSF opined that establishment of towns and declaring of Town council alone won’t suffice. “Such initiatives alone shouldn’t be confined to the politics of gaining vote alone but should foster on for development and growth by empowering the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) to decide its growth within the constitutional provision and rights.
Sceptre falling into the wrong hand is the causes why Nagaland is still stagnant,” it added. The ENSF further lamented that “a village gets more funds than any urban town in Nagaland. This is one factor why urbanisation is being stagnant in the state.”
