Dimapur, May 16 (MExN): The final hearing on the Nagaland government’s appeal, for a stay order on the Guwahati High Court’s judgment on women reservation in Nagaland, has been scheduled for June 5 in Guwahati. This was informed by the Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation today.
The committee issued a note today stating that the Nagaland government filed two writ petitions with the Principal Bench of the Gauhati High Court, appealing against the judgment of Justice AK Goswami and Justice Indira Shah that elections for all municipal and town councils be held and women reservation be strictly implemented before the May 27. Two other Petitions, a miscellaneous case for condonation of delay, including prayer for a Stay order on the judgments were also filed by the Nagaland Government.
The cases came up for hearing on Monday, May 14 in the Principal Bench, Gauhati High Court, Guwahati. The Government was again represented by the Advocate General Senior Advocate Balagopal. The Joint Action Committee for Women Reservation was represented by the Human Rights Law Network lawyer from Delhi, Jayshree, and advocate of the Supreme Court and assisted by Zheviholi Swu, advocate and others. “Citing that 48% of the population in the state is women, the organizations protesting against women reservation, consisting of only men, cannot be taken as the voice of the Naga people,” the lawyers representing the women organization reportedly argued.
“The state government was not granted a Stay order and the next final hearing is fixed for the 5th June 2012 at Guwahati. Women Representatives from the JACWR attended the women reservation hearing at the Gauhati High Court, Guwahati, which was the focus of rapt attention by the packed court room of men and women lawyers from Assam and other states,” the committee stated.
