DIMAPUR, Aug 24 - The Nagaland Government on Thursday constituted a six-member Cabinet sub-committee to examine the issue of reservation for women in urban local body elections and other related issues and make recommendations thereof.
The sub-committee has been asked to submit its report and recommendations within two months.
Minister of Agriculture and Cooperation G Kaito Aye is the chairman of the sub-committee. The other members are CM Chang, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu, Minister of Planning and Coordination and Land Revenue, P Paiwang Konyak, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation and Land Resources, and Metsubo Jamir, Minister of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs. The Nagaland Principal Secretary, Municipal Affairs, is the member-secretary.
Vekhosayi Nyekha, acting convener of the Joint Coordination Committee, at a press conference here on August 16, said it would pursue its demand for amending the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 that provides for 33 per cent reservation in urban civic body elections. The coordination committee was formed to oppose urban body elections with reservation for women in January, 2017.
Nyekha had said the committee�s demand for amendment of the Act still stood and it would continue to put pressure on the State Government till it was amended.
Violent protests erupted across the State when the then Naga People�s Front-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland Government under TR Zeliang decided to hold urban local body elections on February 1 last year. The protests and boycotts by Naga tribal bodies left two persons dead and several injured, besides causing damage to several office buildings in Kohima. The agitators vandalised and set ablaze government offices and vehicles in the capital town on February 2. The functioning of government offices was hit for more than a week due to the protests.
The then Chief Minister Zeliang resigned on February 10, 2017 amid a political crisis against the backdrop of widespread protests in the State.
Various tribal bodies, including the Naga Hoho, called for a boycott of the elections to oppose 33 per cent reservation for women, arguing that the reservation (for women) would infringe on the Naga customary laws and traditions as protected under Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India.
Nagaland enjoys special status under Article 371(A) which provides for protection of �religious or social practices of the Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, ownership and transfer of land and resources�.
