Dimapur, Jan. 14: The Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation (JACWR) has expressed pain at the “ongoing tussle” between the tribal organisations and the state authorities on the issue of elections to the urban local bodies.
The JACWR issued a press release on Saturday expressing concern that the misunderstanding and the threat of expulsion from tribes and communities do not portend well for the Naga society.
Interestingly, the statement of the JACWR was from the Chief Minister's Office, sent from the email cmomediacell@gmail.com.
“We, the Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation, are pained at the ongoing tussle between the tribal organisations and the state authorities on the issue of elections to urban local bodies, and are of the view that such misunderstanding and threats of expulsion from the tribes and communities do not portend well for the Naga society. It is most unfortunate that the issue has been misinterpreted and blown completely out of proportion,” the women’s organisation stated. The JACWR stated here that the state’s government and the State Election Commission were only performing their Constitutional obligations to hold elections as necessitated by the Constitutional provisions laid down by Article 243 T with reservations for women. It was enacted in 2006 by the state’s assembly in the 1st Amendment to the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001.
“On the other hand, various tribal organisations are apprehensive that holding of such elections with reservations for women would infringe upon Article 371 A of the Constitution,” the organisation stated. “We are of the considered opinion that Article 243 T does not in any way, infringe on Article 371 A or would go against the customary and social practices of the Nagas since towns and municipalities are not traditional concepts or institutions for the Naga people.”
Various observations of the courts, it explained further, including the Supreme Court have made it clear that holding of elections to urban local bodies with reservation for women has nothing to do with Article 371 A.
“We are thankful to the government of the day for its decision to conduct elections to the ULBs with reservation for women. We are also happy that so many women have come forward to file their nominations in the face of stiff opposition from various corners, which is proof enough that Naga women are ready to shoulder responsibilities in decision-making bodies,” the committee stated.
Committee withdraws court petition
Also, the committee has announced that it was withdrawing the petition to the Supreme Court. The decision of the state to hold elections with reservation for women made the case filed in the Supreme Court “infructuous,” the committee stated.
However, to reciprocate the gesture of the state government and to “allay the fears of tribal organisations” that the case filed by us in the Supreme Court would infringe on Article 371 A of the Constitution of India, the committee is withdrawing the petition: “We, the Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation, have agreed to the appeal of the Chief Minister made to the members of the JACWR at the emergency meeting at his residence at Dimapur this evening to withdraw the SLP filed by us in the Supreme Court, provided the ongoing process of elections to the ULBs could be completed as notified by the State Government.”
The committee has appealed to all the tribal organisations to desist from using threats and intimidations to banish, expel, excommunicate anyone, and to let the due process of elections to the ULBs be allowed to be completely without any untoward incident or ill-feeling.
