Nagaland Assembly monsoon session commences today with packed agenda

August 27, 2024 10 Views No Comment

Multiple bills to be tabled including ULB Defection, Work-Charged & Casual Employees Regulation

Morung Express News
Kohima | August 27

Whether or not the contentious Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989, is revisited, the Fifth Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) beginning on Tuesday is expected to take up several bills.

While the NLA Secretariat is yet to officially share the ‘List of Business’ for the two-day monsoon session scheduled for August 27 and 28, bulletins issued on Tuesday indicated that various bills would be introduced for consideration and passing during the 14th NLA fifth sitting.

Among others, the Nagaland Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2024, will be introduced in the upcoming session, and the draft has been circulated to all members for advance study.

Another issue related to civic administration – the Disqualification on Ground of Defection in Urban Local Bodies Bill, 2024 – is also slated to be taken up by the Assembly.

It must be noted here that earlier, the Governor of Nagaland promulgated an ordinance, “The Disqualification on Ground of Defection in Urban Local Bodies Ordinance, 2024,” incorporating the anti-defection law into the Nagaland Municipal Act.

It received the Governor’s assent on July 15. The ordinance is expected to be approved and enacted as an Act before the expiry of six weeks during the upcoming session.

The Nagaland Work-Charged & Casual Employees Regulation (First Amendment) Bill, 2024, is also expected to be passed by the 14th NLA in its Fifth Session.

If enacted, this is expected to streamline many office memorandums concerning work-charged and casual employees, a subject matter of various legal proceedings in the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench.

The Global Open University (Nagaland) (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024, and The Nagaland Goods and Services Tax (Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, will also be introduced for consideration and passing during the ensuing Fifth Session.

Meanwhile, another bulletin from the NLA Secretariat informed that the Nagaland Road Safety Authority (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024, will also be introduced and taken up for consideration on Governor’s recommendation.

The Governor of Nagaland, having been informed of the subject matter, has recommended, under Article 207(1) of the Constitution of India, the introduction and consideration of the said Bill in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the bulletin added.

The hotly debated NLTP Act issue was re-ignited after Spokesperson of the State Government, Minister for Power and Parliamentary Affairs, KG Kenye disclosed after a State Cabinet meeting on August 22 that a decision for revisit was taken during the meeting.

An extract of the list of agenda tabled for discussion at the Cabinet meeting on August 22, meanwhile, contained three proposals, which received the Cabinet’s nod of approval.

The amendment, if it effected, would exempt domestic tourists from the purview of the Act, while introducing alcohol catering licence to select “hotels/Tourist Restaurants/Government Guest Houses,” and the major tweak— allowing room for legalising sale in certain towns/cities.

“Municipalities and District Head Quarters may be considered for relaxation on the basis of demand from concerned Civil Societies/ULBs etc,” stated point number 3 of the said Cabinet ‘Agenda No.4.’

There is already a relaxation for foreign dignitaries and tourists. The concerned department was further directed to work out detailed conditions and modalities for affecting the proposed relaxation.

Consequently, numerous Church-based organisations, led by the Nagaland Baptist Church Council, have came out strongly against any such possible move.

The monsoon session is also expected also witness discussion on the ‘Communitisation’ policy vis-à-vis electricity.’