Particular decision on ULB issue will be taken after meeting stakeholders: Nagaland CM Rio

On April 5, the Supreme Court stayed the March 30 notification cancelling till further orders the elections to the urban local bodies (ULBs) in Nagaland

The Nagaland government will hold a meeting with the stakeholders to discuss the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) issue and after the meeting, a concrete decision would be made for the good of the state, said Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday at a felicitation programme of newly elected legislators of 14th NLA from Kohima district.

Rio emphasised the ULB election stating that despite numerous adverse effects and social instability, the government made every effort to provide its people with additional options. Therefore, he said that the government has repealed the Nagaland Municipal Act of 2001 in order to avoid a repeat of the incident from 2017.

It may be mentioned here that on April 5, the Supreme Court stayed the March 30 notification cancelling till further orders the elections to the urban local bodies (ULBs) in Nagaland which were scheduled for May 16.

The development comes after a contempt petition was filed against the state government before the supreme court where senior counsel Colin Gonsalves informed SC that ULB elections in Nagaland were cancelled by the Election Commission with the consent of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, as per the Live Law India report.

Later, he informed SC of moving an application.

It is to be mentioned here that following pressure from tribal groups and civil society groups against the conduct of the ULB polls, the Nagaland assembly had passed a resolution to repeal the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001, resolving not to hold the elections.

Later on March 30, the State Election Commission (SEC) had issued a notification cancelling the election programme notified earlier “till further orders” in view of the repeal of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001.

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