published by, aashi sadana
Last Update: March 09, 2023, 23:50 IST
Issuing the notification of the election schedule, he said that the filing of nominations would begin from April 3 and end on April 10.
The newly formed Nagaland cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, during its first meeting on Tuesday considered holding ULB elections by May this year with 33 per cent women reservation as directed by the Supreme Court.
State Election Nagaland’s commission announced on Thursday that it will hold elections on May 16 after nearly two decades in 39 urban local bodies (ULBs) with reservation of 33 per cent seats for women, one of the contentious issues.
The newly formed Nagaland cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, during its first meeting on Tuesday considered holding ULB elections by May this year with 33 per cent women reservation as directed by the Supreme Court.
Following this, State Election Commissioner (SEC) T Mhabemo Yanthan announced that elections to constitute three municipal councils and 36 city councils with reservation of 33 per cent seats for women in the state would be held on May 16.
Issuing the notification of the election schedule, he said that the process of filing nominations would start from April 3 and end on April 10. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on April 12 and 13 while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 24. 19 May.
ULB elections in the state are long pending as the last one was held in 2004. Since then, elections have not been held first because of the “unsettled” Naga peace talks and then over the 33 per cent reservation for women, which tribal bodies protested.
In 2017, two people were killed and several others were injured in clashes on the eve of polling day, after which the government halted the decision to hold elections.
The Kohima Municipal Council office and nearby government offices in the state capital and elsewhere were also torched in the clashes.
Various tribal organizations have been opposing the ULB elections with 33 per cent reservation for women, saying it violates Nagaland’s special rights guaranteed by Article 371(A) of the Constitution.
However, on March 9, 2022, representatives of the Naga community unanimously agreed that the elections to the ULBs should be held with 33 per cent reservation for women.
The decision was taken during a consultative meeting of all stakeholders, including civil society organisations, churches, tribal bodies, political parties and NGOs, convened by the state government in the presence of legislators.
The SEC also said that with the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect in the municipal and town council areas where elections are to be held.
This would apply to all candidates, political parties and state government machinery, he said.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)