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TR Zeliang and leaders of the NMA and the JACWR share a photograph following a meeting with the chief minister on Sunday in Kohima town. [/caption]
Dimapur, October 2 : The chief minister of Nagaland has iterated that the Nagaland government will be going ahead with the municipal elections with women reservation in tow. However, the elections “may be slightly delayed by a month or two as the election department has to complete certain election modalities.” It would be either in December, or January in the New Year.
Nonetheless, as a byword to it, Chief Minister TR Zeliang has appealed to the people of the state not to create “misunderstanding between man and women” because of the reservation.
The Chief Minister’s Office issued a press release on October 2 stating TR Zeliang to have assured visiting Naga women leaders on Sunday that the election to municipal bodies / town council would go ahead with the women reservation as decided by the state’s cabinet.
Members of the Naga Mothers’ Association and Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation (JACWR) called on the chief minister on Sunday at his official residential office. The delegation appreciated the government for the “bold step taken by the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues” on women reservation.
“The chief minister also told the women group that the state govt. is firm on its decision and will go ahead as per the cabinet resolution. The chief minister however said that the election may be slightly delayed by a month or two as the election department has to complete certain election modalities,” the CMO stated.
“The chief minister said that as per the government plan the election was scheduled to be held in November but due various technical problem it may postpone to either December or January next year.”
Zeliang was also stated to have suggested that elections ‘could be held in phase manner.’
"We can conduct election in town where all the necessary formalities has been completed in the first phase, and gradually for other town where town council has been declared recently", the CMO stated in quoting the chief minister.
Zeliang has appealed to “both man and women not to create misunderstanding out of the reservation issue, but to maintain cordial relationship and work together for the welfare of the state.”
"Maintain cordial relationship, don't create misunderstanding between man and women out of this issue", the CMO quoted Zeliang as having told the women leaders.
“(The) chief minister also called upon the women group to choose efficient and suitable candidate for the betterment of the society,” the CMO added.
A separate update from the JACWR on Sunday also informed of said meeting with Zeliang. The forum appreciated the chief minister and the Cabinet for their decision to hold the municipal elections with women reservation. “...Naga women believed that the chief minister would stand by the decision,” the note from the JACWR stated.
Also, the Naga women leaders expressed concern at the “opinions” from various tribal organizations, including the Naga Hoho.
However, the JACWR said it was clear on the stand that the development was a constitutional right of women. The organization has thanked the government ‘for taking the decision to hold the long awaited municipal elections.’
Interestingly, the women’s statement had a small reference to the issue of recognition to the Rongmei community as a tribe of Nagaland.
“He also brought the importance of unity and the current Rongmei imbroglio and clarified on decisions which were taken during the tenure of the former CM and former govt and the setting up of the Cabinet subcommittee by the govt of the day,” a paragraph read.
