Kohima: Nagaland is finally heading for the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections with 33% women reservation in three Municipal councils and 36 Town councils, on June 26.
The Municipal Affairs Department on Saturday conveyed the administrative approval of the election schedule notified by the State Election Commission, which included the number of wards reserved on rotation for women, as mandated by the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2023.
According to the schedule, polling is scheduled for June 26 from 7:30 AM to 4PM.
The nomination filing period starts from June 7 and will continue till 3PM on June 11. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 20. The counting of votes and declaration of results is scheduled for June 29. Re-poll, if any, will be held on June 28.
Under the Dimapur Municipal Council, seats for women are reserved in eight out of 23 wards including Ward 1, 4, 7, 10 ,13, 16, 19 & 22.
As for the Kohima Municipal Council, six out of 19 wards have been reserved for women, including Ward 1, 4, 7, 10, 13 & 16.
Likewise, under the Mokokchung Municipal Council, six out of 18 wards have been reserved for women, including Ward 14, 7, 10, 13 & 16.
Besides the three municipal councils, there are reservation for women in the 36 town councils.
In 2001, the Nagaland Municipal and Town Council Act 2001 was passed in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, without the inclusion of 33% women reservation, a mandatory provision in article 243-T Part IX-A. This was later amended in 2006. Before 2001, the Nagaland state followed the Assam Municipal Act for the town committees of the state.
The first election under the Municipal and Town Council Act 2001 was conducted in 2004 across the state without 33% women reservation, except in Mokokchung town, on grounds that unless the provision for taxation of land and building were omitted/deleted from the Act, the town would not allow the municipal election.
In 2017, Nagaland witnessed violent protests against the ULB elections, which provided 33% reservation for women. The protest claimed two lives, and several government properties were vandalised. Several organisations opposed the ULB elections on grounds that it infringed the special provisions granted to Nagaland under Article 371(A) of the Constitution.
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On November 9 last year, the Nagaland Legislative Assembly enacted the Nagaland Municipal Act 2023, inclusive of 33% women reservation. Following this move, the Supreme Court had directed the state government to complete the electoral process for the civic polls by April this year.
The polls to the ULB election have been notified as Nagaland awaits the result of the contest to the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state, scheduled on June 4.
Also Read | Can Nagaland conduct ULB polls with 33% women quota by April?