DIMAPUR, Jan 30 - Following a marathon meeting with Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang today evening, the Joint Action Committee (JCC), which was spearheading the agitation for postponement of civic body elections in the State, has called off their indefinite bandh with immediate effect.
According to sources, the Chief Minister at the meeting has agreed to postpone the elections to urban local body elections by two months while the JCC responded to the government�s decision by withdrawing the ongoing bandh. The meeting was also attended by Nagaland Baptist Church Council members.
Meanwhile, despite Dimapur District Magistrate imposing Section 144 CrPC in the district, volunteers of Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) and other civil society organisations enforced a total bandh in Dimapur for the second day today.
Today�s bandh brought all business activities to a grinding halt with all business establishments remaining closed. Functioning of government offices was affected as the bandh enforcers did not allow the office goers to move to their offices. Schools also declared holiday till February 1, the date of polling for elections to municipal elections in Dimapur along with other civic body elections in the State. Vehicular traffic too remained off the road during the bandh.
Some election-related papers were snatched and burnt by volunteers at Dimapur Circuit House. The EVMs are also being kept in the Circuit House with riot police guarding them.
Newmai News adds: As the State Government and the tribal organisations were heading for a show down over the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections vis-a-vis the 33 per cent women reservation in the polls, the Nagaland Baptist Churches� Council (NBCC) swung into action and brokered the peace.
The Nagaland Government has agreed in principle to defer the ULB elections slated for February 1. Following this development, the JCC has decided to call off the bandh from tomorow subject to the decision of the State Cabinet and State Election Commission.
The �January 30th Statement� was signed by JCC Convenor Subu Jamir, Nagaland Home Minister Y Patton on behalf of Government of Nagaland, and Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho, General Secretary, NBCC. The JCC had asked for two months� deferment of the ULB elections. The State Cabinet is scheduled to meet tomorrow at 11 am.
