Dimapur, July 26 (MExN): A memorandum seeking amendment of the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 by deleting various sections that infringe upon Article 371 (A) of the Constitution of India has been submitted to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.
The memorandum was signed by the AKMWP President Thejao Sekhose along with the President of Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation (DUCCF), Tsenthungo Nyamo and President of All Ward Union Mokokchung Town (AWUNT) Limanungsang.
In the memorandum, the organisations stated that if the sections are not rectified, it would “set a precedent detrimental to the rights of the Naga people as enshrined in the Constitution of India.”
Stating that any act of the Nagaland legislative Assembly that infringes upon Article 371 (A) is not acceptable, the three organisations from Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung maintained that the Act and the three amendments made in 2006, 2007, and 2016 “do not expunge the said Act’s infringement upon Article 371 (A).”
“As such, it is deemed fit to rectify the Act and delete those section, clause(s) that infringes social, customary and traditional practices of the Nagas from the principal Act with another amendment before any ULB election is conducted,” it added.
The organisations also urged the Government of Nagaland to hold the ULB elections at the earliest after due rectification and amendment of the Act.
Further, it lamented that the government of Nagaland has not invited the three bodies to any consultative meeting with regard to the ULB election.
Meanwhile, in the copy of the memorandum which was made available to the media on Tuesday, the Chief Minister on July 26 directed the Chief Secretary to examine and call for consultation and also seek legal opinion from the Advocate General (AG) to amend the Act as requested.
