Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, B. Henok Buchem, has issued a notification directing all recognized villages under the district to initiate the process for the selection of new Village Council Members for the tenure 2026-2031.
The notification, issued on March 13, follows directives from the Government of Nagaland, including a communication from the Commissioner, Nagaland dated March 10, 2026, and a separate notification from the Home Department (General Administration Branch-I) dated March 9, 2026.
Acting under Rule 3 of the Nagaland Village and Area Councils Rules, 1979, the Deputy Commissioner has instructed all villages to conduct the selection or election of new Village Council members in accordance with prevailing customary practices and usages.
According to the notification, the entire process must be completed before April 25, 2026, and the proposed list of members must be submitted to the office of the Deputy Commissioner through the respective Area Administrative Officers.
The notification also outlined several guidelines for the process. It stated that the qualifications of Village Council members must conform to Section 5 of the Nagaland Village and Tribal Councils Act, 1978. The list submitted should include only the names of selected or elected members without specifying designations such as Chairman or Secretary. The Chairman will be selected only after the State Government officially approves the Village Council members.
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Area Administrative Officers have been tasked with specifying the mode of representation-whether by Clan or Khel and the method of selection or election based on established customary practices in their respective jurisdictions. They are also required to compile submissions from all villages under their jurisdiction and forward them to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in both hard and soft copies.
Each submission must include the village council resolution, meeting minutes, and attendance sheets with contact numbers, duly countersigned by the concerned Area Administrative Officer.
Meanwhile, the notification stated that all existing Village Councils within Kohima district stand dissolved with immediate effect. Until the new Village Council members receive official approval from the state government, the Head GB (Gaon Bura) will assume responsibility for village administration.
