“We have traversed a long and chequered path in reaching where we are standing today,” said Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today during the passing of the Nagaland Municipal Bill 2023. The Bill which was passed at the third session (Emergent session) of the 14th Assembly was held at the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Kohima.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio moved the “The Nagaland Municipal Bill, 2023” for consideration and the bill was passed unanimously at the assembly.
Speaking during the session, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio reflected on the history of the several attempts made in the past two decades to hold ULB election in Nagaland, a history associated with unfortunate incidents. The CM provided a detailed account of the string of events that led to the drafting of the present Nagaland Municipal Bill, 2023.
The State Government constituted a Committee headed by the ACS & FC, Nagaland to draft a new Municipal Bill where the Committee submitted the draft Municipal Bill to the Government on August 25, 2023. “In the draft new Municipal Bill, the provisions relating to taxes on land and buildings have been excluded. The provision for 1/3rd reservation of seats in ULBs for women is kept in the bill given the clear directions of the Supreme Court.However, the provisions for one third reservation of the offices of the chairperson in ULBs for women which was there in the earlier Municipal Act has not been included in the Municipal Bill,” stated Rio. On September 1, a consultative meeting with the Tribal Bodies and CSO was held, where the salient features of the new Municipal Bill was made known to them. After deliberations on the issue, the Tribal Bodies conveyed their broad agreement to the draft provisions, including the provision for one third reservation of seats for women in ULBs.
In this regard, Rio thanked the tribal bodies and CSOs for their understanding and cooperation. “In spite of different approaches, and views on the matter, our Government continued to receive unconditional support from all the stakeholders for which we are grateful and accordingly, in the last session of the Assembly, on 12th September 2023, the Government had tabled the new Nagaland Municipal Bill, 2023; and this House, in its wisdom, had decided to refer the Bill to a Select Committee of the House for examination,” added Rio.
The Select Committeee, consisting of seven members of this House, headed by T. R. Zeliang, Deputy Chief Minister examined the Bill. In agreement with all the provisions of the Bill and in the interest of the people as well as to make the proposed Act even more efficacious, recommendations for incorporation of certain more clauses in the Bill were made. “It has been recommended to make only the indigenous inhabitant of the State eligible for becoming a member of any Municipal or Town Council, and also that the Municipal Act should be reviewed periodically after every 10 years, which was also the view of many of our CSOs. In the latest Nagaland Municipal Bill, 2023, which has been introduced today we have incorporated these recommendations of the Select Committee,” informed Rio.
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The Chief Minister further highlighted the objection to ULB elections which has become a matter concerning Naga’s customary practices. “And in this journey we were sandwiched between the voice of the people who elected us and the mandate of the Constitution which has to be complied. Our topmost priority, however, always remained to ensure that our issues are amicably sorted out through peaceful means and without violence. And to a great extent, we have succeeded in our venture,” asserted Rio.
Acknowledging the Honourable Judges of the Supreme Court who heard their case and understood the difficulties, Rio mentioned that the judges played a significant role in guiding them with patience to enabling them to reach the present stage wherein the women of Nagaland would be given representation in urban local bodies.
“The time has come for the women folk to participate and perform in the administration of the urban local bodies,” remarked Rio.
Our State may be a late starter in the processof urbanization, said Rio, however, the rate of urbanization in Nagaland has been quite rapid of late and we now have 39 urban local bodies across the State.
“We have to provide this growing urban population the required urban infrastructure and urban amenities through local self -governments. We have lost many precious decades in negotiating for a consensus on the issue of ULBs. With the passage of the new Nagaland Municipal (Bill), 2023, let us hope that the new ULBs would be able to take the required steps to make our cities and towns better administered, more developed, more organised, more clean and more beautiful,” added Rio.
