
DIMAPUR, APRIL 3 (MExN): The Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat (AKMWP), All Ward Union Mokokchung Town (AWUMT) and Dimapur Urban Council Chairman Federation (DUCCF) along with the Town Councils of Nagaland appealed to the Nagaland Government to take into consideration social, customary and traditional practices of the Nagas as and when a new law is drafted with regard to municipal elections in Nagaland.
“The state is empowered by the 74th Amendment Act of the Indian constitution wherein the state can frame its own rules and regulations according to our state's own applicability and practicability,” a joint statement from the three organizations stated.
It further reminded the government to “sincerely draft our own Act without copy pasting from any other Municipality or Corporations of other states taking into consideration our rights wherein the land in Nagaland belongs to the people unlike the land holding system in other states.”“We appeal to the government to kindly include experts from various fields especially, protecting our rights without any infringement upon Article 371A of Indian constitution,” it added.
It urged the Nagaland Government to expedite the process in framing the new Nagaland Municipal Act at the earliest “so as to let our citizens elect their own leaders within their wards to truly bring transformation.”
NCD welcome govt decision
The Naga Council Dimapur has welcomed the Government of Nagaland’s decision to repeal the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001, 'in toto,' and said that “Nagas viewed unequivocally that the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 is politically and constitutionally undermining the Naga customary law and practices in all aspects.”
The NCD said it was apprehensive of another ugly situation “worse than the unrest of civil societies in 2017 if the Government failed to listen to the voice of the people.” “Now, it is crystal clear that the Government will act according to the provisions provided to the people of Nagaland," it stated and appealed that in event of rewriting the NMA, consensus and opinions of all stakeholders should be consulted.