Understanding Local Self Governance in Nagaland

October 10, 2017 26883 Views No Comment

Understanding Local Self Governance in Nagaland – An essence of the institutions and their activities

Amba Jamir

Policy Analyst, Trainer and Development Consultant

1. Introduction

Nagaland is unique because it is the only state in the Indian Union created out of a political agreement. The signing of the Sixteen Point Agreement in July 1960 between the Prime Minister of India and representatives of Naga People’s Convention paved the way for the creation of Nagaland as the 16th state of the Indian Union on the 1st December 1963. The state was formed by merging the Tuensang Frontier Division of the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and the Naga Hills district of Assam.

Nagaland is bounded by Assam in the west, Myanmar on the East, Manipur in the south and Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam on the north. It lies between 25° 6’ and 27° 4’ northern latitudes and between 93° 20’ and 95° 15’ eastern longitudes. It has an area of 16,579 sq. km (constituting 0.5% of the country’s geographical area) and a population of 19,88,6362 (0.2% of the country’s population). The State is predominantly rural and 82.26 percent of the population continues to live in villages. It has 11 administrative districts, 60 Assembly constituencies, one Lok Sabha seat and one Rajya Sabha seat.

Box I. Statistical figures of Nagaland
Area:16,579 sq kms
State Capital:Kohima (1,444.12 m above sea level)
Population:19,88,636 (2001 census)
Density:120 per sq km
Sex ratio:909:1000 (Female:Male, 2001 census)
Literacy:67.11% (Male: 71.77% Female: 61.92%)
No of villages:1286
Census towns:9
Districts:113
Official language:English
Average rainfall:2500 mm
Forest cover:13,345 sq kms (80.49%)

Source : Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Govt. of Nagaland

The majority of the workforce in the state is agrarian and in the rural areas and even those in the urban areas are generally in the unorganised sector. Administratively, the structural framework of the administrative system in Nagaland is largely similar to that of other states in the country. However, what makes Nagaland stand apart is its local governance system through the Village Councils and subsequent authorities. The local governance system of Village Councils is based on the traditional Naga way and it enjoys Constitutional sanction vide Article 371 (A) of the Indian Constitution.

1Policy Analyst, Trainer and Development Consultant. ambajamir@gmail.com
2 2001 Census, Government of India
3 Dimapur, Kiphire, Kohima, Longleng, Mokokchung, Mon, Tuensang, Peren, Phek, Wokha, Zunheboto

Box II. The Constitution (Thirteenth Amendment) Act, 1962

Article 371A for the state of Nagaland provides that “notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, no Act of Parliament in respect of:

Religious or social practices of Nagas Naga customary law and procedure Administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, and Ownership and transfer of land and its resources,

… shall not apply to the State of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland by a resolution so decides.”