DIMAPUR, MARCH 23 (MExN): The Lotha Hoho and its frontal organisations held a meeting on March 23 and resolved to demand for rewriting the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001, before conducting any ULB Election.
The meeting further reasserted the LH resolution of January 17, 2017 to boycott the ULB election under the existing Municipal Act 2001, informed a press release from the Lotha Hoho Chairman, Er Mhondamo Ovung and General Secretary, S Abenthung Ngullie.
It meanwhile clarified that the “Lotha public are neither against any ULB Election nor is it against payment of relevant tax.”
“Article 371A does not explicitly say anything on Women Reservation; but among the various provisions it clearly says to safeguard the (i) Religious or Social practices of the Nagas” and (ii) Naga Customary laws and Procedures” etc ; and hence Women Reservation clearly infringes on the provisions of Article 371A (1) (a) (ii) and (iii),” the Lotha Hoho argued.
However, with changing times, it said that the “consensus decision of the Nagas may be taken on Women Reservation, if it is for the common good of the Nagas.”
The Lotha Hoho further acknowledged that without tax payment by the people, no government can run or survive and hence tax that is relevant and feasible to the reality of Nagas of Nagaland may be worked out and Nagas are to learn to be self reliant. Hence the provisions on Taxation, in the existing Municipal Act 2001, are to be rectified in such ways that the Mode of taxation is within the ambit and circumstances of Nagaland under the constitutional provisions for the Nagas, it added.
“All these realisations clearly mean to rewrite the Municipal Act in the context of Nagaland and its people. The provisions of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 are all interrelated and the Clauses and sub clauses are linked in such ways to be implemented in a synchronised manner and action. Hence deletion or omission or removal of any Clause or sub Clause will only create confusion and becomes ambiguous,” it reasoned.
The Lotha Hoho further said that it is not satisfied with the 74th Amendment, and the recent press statement of March 18 of the Municipal Affairs department. It demanded that the existing Municipal Act 2001, be rewritten in a way that is relevant to Nagaland under the Special Constitutional provisions of Article 371A and others, before conducting any ULB Election.
It further urged that the amended sections and clauses must be incorporated in the existing Act and the rewritten Act to be made a new publication. The Lotha Hoho also said that if the Municipal Act 2001 is not amended, as demanded, the Town Councils under Wokha district will not be allowed to participate in the ULB Election.
