KOHIMA, MARCH 22: Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, while reiterating that the Nagaland Municipal Act (NMA), 2001 has been amended and the popular demand for reviewing the tax on land and building has been ‘omitted’, stated now there is nothing to be ‘deleted’.
He said this while interacting with media persons on the sidelines of NDPP, Kohima Region, thanksgiving-cum-felicitation programme held at NDPP Central Office here today.
In his speech at the function, Rio said the State Assembly passed a resolution to implement the 74th Amendment of the Constitution in 2001 and conducted Municipal Elections.
The 74th Constitution Amendment Act mandates decentralization of powers and authorities to Urban Local Bodies (ULB) at various levels.
It was again amended in 2016 to include 33% women reservation in ULBs and in 2017 went to hold elections but conflict started between Government and public leading to killing of three persons and setting ablaze of Old Secretariat complex, he said.
But now, it is the order of the Supreme Court to hold the elections, he said, adding that the Court had notified the State Government to issue notice for the election by March 9 which was done accordingly. On March 14 again the SC notified that the election process should not be disturbed, he said.
He also said that the State Government had held a consultative meeting with the State’s tribal organisations and civil societies on March 9, 2022 wherein the resolution was passed to hold the elections. He said that in that meeting the Ao Senden had asked for amendment of the Act concerning tax on land and building, which has now been omitted in accordance with Article 371 (A) of the Constitution.
The Chief Minister informed that the ULB election was to be discussed in the ongoing Assembly session but since it is in the Court the matter is sub-judice and therefore the 60-legislators discussed it after the Assembly on Tuesday.
“All the legislators have been asked to discuss the matter with respective tribal bodies and come up together on whether to hold the ULB elections or not…We have to be one, and even if we don’t want to hold, they should stand together with proper reasoning”, he said.
He asserted that since the public have elected the Government, it can’t go against the wishes of people because we don’t want a law and order situation.
Subsequently, later replying to a media query if Government would accept the three municipal bodies of Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung asking for using the word ‘deleted’ instead of ‘omitted’, Rio said “since it has been amended and omitted there is nothing more to be deleted”.
(Page News Service)
