ULB election boycott unless Municipal Act rewritten, says Lotha Hoho

Dimapur: Lotha Hoho has reiterated its 2017 resolution to boycott the urban local bodies (ULB) election until the existing Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 is ‘rewritten’ by the state government in a way that is relevant to Nagaland under the special constitutional provisions of Article 371 (A).

It said the decision was taken in a meeting of the Lotha Hoho and its frontal organisations on Thursday.

It clarified that the Lotha public were neither against the ULB election nor against payment of relevant tax.

“Article 371 (A) does not explicitly say anything on women reservation; but among the various provisions it clearly says to safeguard the ‘religious or social practices of the Nagas and ‘Naga customary laws and procedures’, etc; and hence women reservation clearly infringes on the provisions of Article 371 (A) (1) (a) (ii) and (iii),” it read.

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However, it said with changing times, the consensus decision of the Nagas may be taken on women reservation, if it is for the common good of the Nagas.

“The Lotha Hoho is also aware that without tax payment by the people, no government can run or survive and hence tax that is relevant and feasible to the reality of Nagas of Nagaland may be worked out and Nagas are to learn to be self-reliant,” read the statement.

Hence, it said the provisions on taxation, in the existing Municipal Act 2001, should be rectified in such a way that the mode of taxation is within the ambit and circumstances of Nagaland under the constitutional provisions for the Nagas.

“All these realisations clearly mean to rewrite the Municipal Act in the context of Nagaland and its people. The provisions of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 are all interrelated and the clauses and sub-clauses are linked in such ways to be implemented in a synchronised manner and action. Hence deletion or omission or removal of any clause or subclause will only create confusion and become ambiguous,” it said.

The Lotha Hoho further expressed dissatisfaction with the 74th amendment, and the recent press statement of the Municipal Affairs department on March 18.

It, therefore, stated that the amended sections and clauses must be incorporated in the existing Act and the rewritten Act should be made a new publication; for wide public circulation.

If the Municipal Act 2001 is not amended, as demanded, it warned that the town councils under Wokha district would not be allowed to participate in the ULB election.

Also read: Consensus needed for ULB election, says Nagaland CM Rio