Gauhati High Court schedules August 19 hearing on NTC PIL challenging Nagaland’s Indigenous Inhabitant Status norms and affidavit
State submits affidavit as court considers maintainability of petition challenging Indigenous Inhabitant norms
DIMAPUR — The Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court on Wednesday listed for August 19 a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the state government’s norms for granting Indigenous inhabitant status, after the state informed the court that its affidavit had been sent for submission.
The PIL, filed by Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC), challenges the norms for granting Indigenous Inhabitant Certificates issued by the state government in September 2024. The petitioner has alleged that the norms diluted recommendations of the committee constituted to examine the issue of Indigenous inhabitant status and could result in non-indigenous persons being granted the status.
The matter came up before a Bench comprising Justice Susmita Phukan Khaund and Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita on Wednesday. The Advocate General of Nagaland, KN Balgopal, assisted by Additional Advocate General Imti Imsong, informed the court that an affidavit, pursuant to an earlier order, had been sent and would be submitted before the court.
The state also submitted that the issues raised in the petition had been taken up and would be addressed through the affidavit. It requested that the matter be fixed for arguments primarily on the maintainability of the petition, following which the merits could also be considered.
Counsel for the petitioner, Krovi Tsukru, however, objected to further adjournment, submitting that several adjournments had already been obtained by the state and urging the court to take up the arguments.
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After considering the submissions, the court directed that the matter be listed after one week, on August 19, for submission of the affidavit positively.
The challenge
The NTC’s PIL concerns the state’s framework for granting Indigenous inhabitant status. According to the petition, the matter was earlier governed by a government notification issued on April 28, 1977, which laid down three specific criteria for granting the status.
The state subsequently constituted a commission in 2019 to examine the issue, with the commission making recommendations concerning the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN). The NTC has contended that the norms subsequently notified by the Home department on September 20, 2024, did not adhere to the RIIN recommendations and instead diluted them.
The High Court had issued notice in the PIL in December 2025, with the state directed to file its counter-affidavit.
The case is also linked to another PIL filed by the Angami Public Organisation (APO). The court, in an order dated July 22, had granted the state one final opportunity to file its counter-affidavit and directed that both matters be listed on August 12.
The court has not adjudicated the merits of the challenge at this stage. The immediate issue before it is the state’s affidavit and the maintainability of the petition, with the matter now scheduled for August 19.