Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 6
Minister for School Education and SCERT, Yitachu on January 5 maintained that the 33 percent women reservation in the Urban Local Bodies do not in anyway infringe upon the provisions contained under Article 371 (A).
Speaking at the 23rd session of Phoyisha Cultural Festival at Yisisotha under Meluri subdivision of Phek district, he said Article 371 (A) was not an issue in the High Court. The issue of the Article 371 (A), he said, was taken as defence in the Supreme Court by the women in their special leave petition. Article 371 (A) is supreme and dear to the Nagas and cannot be wrongly used, the Minister asserted.
He further said the government decided to go ahead with the ULB election to protect the sanctity of Article 371 (A). “The power under Article 371 (A) must remain with the Naga people and should not be directed by any others besides the Nagas,” Yitachu said.
Like village council and panchayati Raj, he said, Article 243 T and part IX A are meant for urban settlers and aim at providing opportunity for the people to have an organised living. The ULBs will only strengthen the social and religious practices, customary laws, criminal and social justice system and landholdings in the urban as provided under Article 371 (A), he said.
