Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 16
The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) has reiterated its demand to amend the Nagaland Municipal (NM) Act 2001. The JCC’s acting Convenor, Vekhosayi Nyekha told media persons today in Dimapur that the state government has withdrawn women reservation in the Urban Local Bodies but it has yet to amend the NM Act as demanded by the JCC. “We will continue to pressure the government to amend the Act,” said Nyekha.
Nyekha informed that he was temporarily elected as the acting Convenor at a meeting of JCC core members on August 15 after its Convenor Supu Jamir relinquished the position owing to latter’s foray into electoral politics. He added that the JCC will hold a consultative meeting in a week’s time to elect a full-time Convenor.
The Nagaland State Assembly had revoked the provisions for 33 percent women reservation in the ULBs in December 2017. The Assembly passed a resolution in November 2016 paving the way for ULB elections but it met violent upheaval from Naga tribal organisations resulting in 2 deaths and ultimately leading to the cancellation of ULB elections that were scheduled in February 2017.
When the provision was revoked by another Assembly resolution in December 2017 the then Chief Minister and now Leader of Opposition, TR Zeliang cited conflict of interest between the general public and women’s organisations as the reason.
Subsequent to the tapering of hostilities, consultative meets with the civil society aimed at coming to an amicable solution to the issue was mooted. However, Nyekha said that the JCC was not invited to one such meeting with the government only inviting the tribal hohos. Nevertheless, he added that the JCC will tie up with the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee to jointly pursue the matter.
“We have nothing against women leadership. We just don’t want the reservation (of women) system,” he said, as, according to him, it conflicts with the Naga customary practices in decision making.
PAC for One Govt, One Tax
Nyekha, who is also the Convenor of the Naga Council Dimapur’s Public Action Committee, informed that it has called a meeting on August 18 to which representatives from the tribe hohos, Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation, GBs Union, Naga Women Hoho and representatives of youth forums of the respective tribe hohos have been invited.
Stating that the meeting will start at 11 am, he said that the conclave will deliberate on the issue of “multiple taxation by the Naga Political Groups” which is negatively impacting the economy of the state.
Urging the NPGs to streamline “their taxation systems,” he maintained, “We still stand by the principle of ‘One Government, One Tax’.” He said that the NPGs should become one cohesive unit while the Government of India should also give effort to expedite the Indo-Naga peace process.
