Assembly tenure’s last winter session begins

Revokes resolution of Nov. 24, 2016
Introduces four-point resolution on Naga issue

Kohima Bureau
Kohima, Dec. 14 (EMN): Nagaland government on December 14 moved to revoke the Assembly Resolution of November 24, 2016 which revived the state’s Municipal Act 2001 and paved the way for conducting of elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) earlier this year and subsequently put the state into turmoil for almost a month in February, to the extent of losing two young lives, burning down of government buildings, paralysing government functioning and necessitated a change in guard in the state affairs.
Introducing a new resolution revoking its earlier resolution of Nov. 24 2016 during the proceedings of the first day of the winter session of the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Dec. 14, Chief Minister TR Zeliang stated, “This House hereby revokes the Assembly Resolution passed by it on 24th November 2016 on the Municipal Act, 2006″.
NLA Speaker Imtiwapang Aier announced that consideration and adoption of the resolution will be taken up on Dec. 15.
Mention may be made here that different tribe organisations have been demanding that the state government revoked the stated resolution (of Nov. 24, 2016) at the earliest. The Angami Public Organisation and the Chakhesang Public Organisation have been most vocal even on the eve of the winter session that the resolution be revoked and put to rest all contentious issues relating to it till such a time the Municipal Act of Nagaland is thoroughly scrutinised “to the advantage of the people to which every democratically elected government is responsible” and an acceptable amendment to the Act is formed.
The now infamous Nov.24, 2016 resolution was one which revoked the NLA resolution of Sep. 22, 2012 that exempted Nagaland from the application of Part IXA of the Constitution of India, through the provision of Article 371A(1)(a) of the same Constitution .

Urges solution before election

Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Dec. 14 introduced a fresh resolution urging the Centre to take “emergent and extraordinary steps” to usher in an “honourable and acceptable solution” to the long standing Naga political issue before the state assembly election which is due in March 2018.
Chief Minister TR Zeliang, who moved to introduce the four-point resolution during the 1st day of the 19th NLA session, stated that the state assembly also resolved to urge upon the Election Commission of India (ECI) “not to announce before the general elections to the 13th NLA until the government of India arrives at an honourable and acceptable solution to the Naga political issue in order to enable all Nagas to enjoy their due democratic and other rights and function as a more empowered electorate during the elections that may be held after the solution”.
The NLA also called upon civil society, tribal hohos, church and other organizations concerned, to cooperate with the vision of the state government in this regard. It further called upon all political parties and independent candidates to implement the demand for ‘solution before election’ in the field whenever necessary, so that ‘utmost unity is displayed before the government of India and the ECI’. Interestingly, the resolution had no mention of the Naga political groups.