Dimapur, June 19 (MExN): The court hearing on Naga women reservation in municipalities and holding of municipal elections was fixed for June 18, 2012 before the Principal Bench, in Gauhati High Court, Guwahati. However at the hearing today, to the surprise of the Court and the Naga women leaders present there, the Advocate General pleaded he was not prepared to argue, while Senior Counsel Colin Gonsalves told the Court he was prepared to argue and finish the matter. This was informed in a press note issued by the Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation (JACWR).
The note stated that top Naga women leaders from different apex tribe women organizations were given security clearance and thronged the court room for the hearing, which was again fixed for June 19 before another division bench, as the matter was part heard, at the request of the Advocate General of Nagaland.
The High Court has fixed June 27, for final hearing of the petitions filed by the State Government. The note also mentioned that JACWR and women leaders in its meeting after the court hearing expressed their strong objection that the State Government represented by the Government Advocate is not prepared to argue before the Judges on the day and time fixed for the hearing, even though the petitions have been filed by the State Government themselves. “The JACWR expects the State Government to take the sentiments of Naga women seriously before they resort to mass movement to secure their constitutional rights, beyond the Court”, the note further stated. Top Naga women leaders from the Naga Mothers Association, Eastern Naga Women Organisation and its six tribe women representatives attended the Court hearings.
