JCC stand for formation of ULBs

November 25, 2021 81 Views No Comment

DIMAPUR, NOV 25 (NPN) : Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on urban local bodies (ULB) has reaffirmed its January 23, 2017 memorandum submitted to chief minister against conduct of elections to ULBs till the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 was reviewed/amended.

JCC convenor Luolao Usou and secretary W Rainbow Ngullie, in a statement, welcomed the State government’s decision to review the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 on conducting elections to ULBs and therefore, urged upon the government to expedite process for submission of final report of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted in 2017 over the issue.

JCC reminded that the state witnessed social unrest and protest against ULB election with 33% reservation for women in municipal and town councils including imposition of property/wealth tax. JCC regretted that the contentious issue of reviewing the Nagaland Municipal Act has been hanging and the ULBs of the State were functioning without public representations after their dissolution.

JCC noted that ULB elections have become a contentious issue not merely because there were conceptual differences among the stakeholders but because of multiple referential integrity.

According to JCC the legitimate issues to be considered include– how to ascertain the common good and aspirations of Naga people in the context of their traditions and cultural references, and socially appropriate them in relation to the persisting issue over ULB election with 33% reservation for women and imposing tax on properties.

JCC asserted that the State government’s November 18, 2021 notification to constitute advisory councils to various municipal and town councils with 33% nominated women members, for an interim period was not acceptable to Naga people.

It said since this could create another situation, the government decision required examination in the context of interests and demands of Naga people.

JCC also pointed out that the Nagaland Municipal Act permitted the State government to nominate people having special knowledge or experiences in municipal administration but whose number was limited to 1/5th of the elected members.

JCC said the government’s decision to nominate people to run ULBs without duly elected representatives would be violative of constitutional provisions as well as the provisions of Nagaland Municipal Act. Besides, JCC said, nominated members would not have legal validity to run the affairs of ULBs in the absence of popularly-elected representatives.

JCC informed that it along with Dimapur-based tribal hohos, unions, Eastern Nagaland People’s union Dimapur and Dimapur Unit of Tenyimi People’s Organisation held a consultative meeting at Tourist Lodge Dimapur on November 23, 2021 to discuss the unresolved ULB issue with specific reference to the government notification.

The meeting discussed the resentment of Naga people against the Nagaland Municipal Act and demanded review/amend the said Act.

The meeting unanimously resolved to not allow holding of ULB election till the Cabinet Sub-Committee decision was notified. Further, the committee urged the government to immediately revoke/recall the November 18, 2020 government notification proposing constitution of advisory councils to various municipal and town councils with 33% nominated members for women.

The committee further urged the State government to officially declare the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) report pertaining to death of four persons in the firing incident on January 31, 2017.

JCC declared that it would not accept the government decision to nominate advisory council members and conduct ULB election till Cabinet Sub-Committee decision for reviewing/amending the Nagaland Municipal Act and the JIC report were made public.

The committee leaders warned that if the government failed to consider their demands, they would initiate appropriate course of action till the rights and demands of Naga people were met.

JCC claimed that Nagas had been given a special status in the form of Article 371(A) in the Constitution of India that empowered the Nagas to interpret this constitutional provision in accordance with their customs and traditions.

Further it stated that apex Naga civil society organisations on February 7, 2017 had mandated and endorsed JCC to voice the opinion of Naga people against the application of Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 in the present form that would infringe upon the basic rights granted under Article 371(A).

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/jcc-stand-for-formation-of-ulbs/245287.html