SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2025
WC-NNPG asks CM Rio to intervene in PIL hearing on NPNG rules
Published on Mar 22, 2025
By EMN
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- DIMAPUR — Ahead of a suo moto PIL hearing on the constitutionality of Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas (NPNG) rules and regulations, scheduled before the division bench of Gauhati High Court on March 24, the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (WC-NNPG) has urged Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to issue necessary directions to the state advocate general to protect the “rights of the people of Nagaland”.
- The WC-NNPG also apprised the chief minister of ‘action to be taken’ on the orders of the Supreme Court on delimitation.
- In a letter to the chief minister on Saturday, the WC-NNPG reminded that the state government, as a facilitator of the Naga peace talks, has assured Nagas on many occasions that it is prepared to pave the way for a political solution.
- “Therefore, it is the duty of the state government to place the facts before the court that the matters deliberated in the court are subjects of political negotiations between Nagas and the government of India.
- “And that, any deliberation on the matter or a direction of the court will be an infringement on the Indo-Naga peace talks since the subject matter has been negotiated and already has a settled position,” the committee asserted.
- It also suggested to the state government to question the silence of the Union of India and ask why the apex court has been kept uninformed on the status of Indo-Naga political talks.
- “We hope that the necessary directions will be given to advocate general on the matter so that the rights of the people of Nagaland are protected under your esteemed leadership,” it stated.
- On delimitation of Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies, the WC-NNPG maintained that when the subject matter on delimitation of constituencies came up in the Supreme Court, the solicitor general for the government of India did not bring to the notice of the court the status of Indo-Naga peace talks.
- “It is on record that the political negotiations have
concluded as of 31st October 2019. In it, the government of India has agreed to
increase the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland to 80,”
the committee stated.
- Such a settled position was reached for ratifying special provisions and status that Nagas have in the Union of India, and that the number of Lok Sabha seats would be increased to three from the existing single seat, it added.
- “The Gol agreed to the proposal of Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups after the prolonged negotiations. It was pointed out that the proportionality between Assembly seats and the Lok Sabha constituencies in other smaller states too have similar arrangements.
- “Moreover, any political struggle that predates India's independence and simmering till today must have a special political agreement to honour the political and historical rights of the Naga people,” it stated.
- Further, the committee argued that since the state government is in the process of implementing Registration of Indigenous Inhabitant of Nagaland (RIN), the previous census records have no validity in the state, and that delimitation under the present consideration of census is not acceptable.
- While demanding immediate measures from the state government to stop the delimitation process in the state, the WC-NNPG also urged the former to convey the resentment of the people of Nagaland to the Union government for its failure to apprise both the Gauhati High Court and the Supreme Court on the “already settled political position in the Indo-Naga peace talks”.
- The letter was jointly signed by MB Neokpao Konyak, president of GPRN/NSCN (U); P Tikhak Naga, ato kilonser of NSCN/GPRN (R); and Isak Sumi, ato kilonser of NSCN/GPRN (K). Both Tikhak and Isak are working convenors of WC-NNPG.
Nagaland Districts
