Kohima, Nov 22 (PTI) The Congress in Nagaland on Monday opposed the state government’s decision to nominate an advisory council to urban local bodies (ULBs).
A November 18 notification of the state government to nominate advisory council members to the ULBs should be kept in abeyance as the matter relating to the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 is pending before the Supreme Court, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president K Therie said at a press conference here.
The state Congress legal cell at a meeting held during the day decided to write to all Deputy Commissioners and Additional Deputy Commissioners to keep the government order to nominate the advisory council by November 30, 2021, in abeyance as it is inconsistent with provisions of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001.
NPCC working president Khriedi Theunuo said that a special leave petition and Civil Appeal was filed by Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) before the Supreme Court on the conduct of the ULB elections with 33 per cent women reservation but was withdrawn by them in 2017.
However, another application has been filed by Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and the matter is still pending before the Supreme Court, he said.
State Congress president Therie said that the action of the government to nominate advisory council members instead of conducting the election to the ULB is against the Municipal Act as it does not contain any provision for nomination without conducting proper elections.
Three municipal bodies in Nagaland Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation, Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat, and All Ward Union Mokokchung Town – had on Sunday rejected the state government’s decision for the nomination of an advisory council to the ULBs.
They requested the state government to hold ULB elections at the earliest with due rectification and amendment of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001, wherever it infringed Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution.
On October 26, the state government constituted a five-member committee to study if the Nagaland Municipal Act infringes Article 371(A) of the Constitution (Special provision with respect to the State of Nagaland).
However, since the committee would take some time to study the matter before submitting its report, the Nagaland government had decided to nominate an advisory council to the ULB’s for the interim period.