DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 3 (MExN): The All Nagaland Municipal and Town Council Forum (ANMTCF) comprising former councilors of municipal and town councils has urged the state government to call for municipal election on or before September 14 next.
ANMTCF at an emergency meeting held here at Hotel Saramati Friday evening adopted a resolution urging the government to conduct election to the municipal and town councils latest by September 14, exactly six months after completion of the tenure of Medziphema Town Council MTC).
Among the 19 municipal and town councils in Nagaland, MTC was the last civic body to be dissolved on March 14, 2010.
Citing Article 243 (V) sect. 3 (B) of the Constitution of India, read along with Section 10, 24 and 82 of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001, the forum argued that the government cannot prolong the election process beyond six months after dissolution of the councils.
Article 243 (V) sect. 3 (B) reads, “An election to constitute a municipality shall be completed before the expiration of a period of 6 months from the date of its dissolution,” while Section 24 (b) of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 states that “before expiry of a period of 6 months from the date of its dissolution,” an election of municipal and town councils shall have to be completed.
Accordingly, the forum has demanded that election to the civic bodies be held on or before September 14 since there was no provision either in the Constitution or Nagaland Municipal Act to keep the process in abeyance. The Forum said that it would sit again to chalk out further action plans if the government failed to heed to the request.
Five of the 19 municipal and town councils including Mon, Tseminyu, Peren, Medziphema and Tuli town councils did not turn up for the meeting. However, one member said that the five councils have also extended their full support to the resolution.
