Nagaland govt introduces new municipal bill with 33% reservation for women

The Nagaland assembly on March had resolved to repeal the Nagaland Municipal Act of 2001 with immediate effect

The Nagaland Assembly introduced a fresh Nagaland Municipal Bill 2023 on Tuesday after doing away with its contentious principal Act of 2001 in March this year over issues related to reservation of seats for women and taxation on property.

The state’s first women legislators, Salhoutuonuo Kruse and Hekani Jakhalu hailed the move. (Nagaland Assembly)

The state’s first women legislators, Salhoutuonuo Kruse and Hekani Jakhalu hailed the recent decision of the tribal and civil society organisations on their consensus that reservation should be given to women in civic bodies.

Kruse, speaking in the state assembly for the first time after being elected in the February 2023 polls, expressed gratitude to the central leaders who framed the policy to have 33% reservation of seats for women in urban local bodies (ULB).

Participating in the discussion on the pending ULB elections, she thanked the Naga women leaders for heralding the need to have women reservation implemented in the state.

Also delivering her maiden speech in the assembly, MLA Jakhalu termed it a strenuous two decades for not just Naga women but also for the entire community. She said it was a welcome respite as civil society organisations and tribal leaders are coming together now, enabling the state government to have the new municipal bill tabled in the assembly on Tuesday.

Jakhalu maintained that Nagas, as with any indigenous community in the world, are governed by customary laws. However, she pointed out that customary laws are not codified and that they are fluid, adapting to changing times.

Given the long history of opposition to the conduct of ULB elections and questions about the provisions of the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 being in contravention of Article 371A, the 14th Nagaland State Assembly during its first session in March 2023 repealed the principal act in toto.

While repealing the act, the state government decided to make a new act expeditiously in consultation with the various tribal bodies and stakeholders concerned, for the governance of the state’s towns and urban areas, which would fully be in consonance with the accepted customary practices and traditions, and Article 371A.

Chief minister Neiphiu Rio citing the ongoing litigation in the Supreme Court through a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) seeking 33% reservation for women in civic bodies in Nagaland, said, “Our action of repealing the Act has been subsequently examined by the Supreme Court, and in its last order, which all of you will be aware of the Hon’ble Supreme Court while advocating 1/3rd representation for women has further also stated that the personal laws of Nagaland and the special status under Article 371 A is not being touched in any manner.“

“We have been given by the Court one last of the last opportunities to abide by its directions, and the case is next listed on 26 September 2023”, he added.

He said tribal bodies and organisations have expressed their keenness to take the matter forward, and conveyed their broad agreement to the provisions, in particular, for providing 1/3rd reservation of seats of women in ULBs in the proposed legislation for municipal governance in the state.

The new Bill, Rio said, should suitably address all concerns of the people.

Following the introduction of the Nagaland Municipal Bill 2023 in the ongoing assembly, CM Rio also moved to refer the Bill to a select committee, which will be constituted by assembly speaker Sharingain Longkumer.