Dimapur, November 2: The Angami Public Organisation (APO) has appealed to the Government of Nagaland to make necessary amendments in the Nagaland Municipal Act before conducting elections to the civic bodies reflecting the actual legal position in regard to Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes in the State.
In a release issued by its joint secretary, information & publicity, Khriekhotuo Mor on Wednesday, the APO said in view of the much talked about implementation of 33% reservation for women, the people of Nagaland are yet to fully understand the reverse impact of the introduction of caste system in the State.
It pointed out that under Section 23A of the Nagaland Municipal (I Amendment) Act, 2006 "seats in every municipality should be reserved for the Schedule Castes and the Schedule Tribes, Women including women from the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe", in accordance with the provision contained in clauses( 1) to (3) of the Article 243-T of the Constitution.
“As matter of legal position no order has been made by the President of India in term of Article 341 with respect to schedule tribes existing in 2 (two) NE states namely Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The present Nagaland Municipal Act has included a community (Schedule Caste) in respect of which the Presidential Order is non-¬existence,” the APO maintained.It said while according to the stand and claim of the Naga Mothers Association, 33% of seats are reserved exclusively for women which is supported by the Chief Minister of Nagaland and the Cabinet Committee, but as per the Nagaland Municipal Act 2006, in 33% reservation there is a clear provision reserved for the Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and women, which is inclusive of the women belonging to the Schedule Castes.
Questioning where is the space left for the Nagas, the APO said the issue is between the indigenous tribes of Nagaland versus the rest of the other communities and the Government of Nagaland.
The APO is of firm belief that empowering indigenous tribal Naga women of Nagaland will not be objectionable but acceptable to all the stakeholders provided the discriminatory policy/hidden agenda for accommodation of all kind of races is erased/deleted from the said Act.
