Nagaland to seek exemption from Constitution's Part IX

The Nagaland government on Saturday decided to approach the Centre, seeking that the state be exempted from the purview of the Constitution's Part IX, dealing with civic bodies and its powers.

The decision comes after Nagaland tried to hold its Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections with 33 per cent reservation for women recently, but the step led to strong protests and violence led by local tribal bodies against the government's decision, citing that the women reservation will infringe upon the Naga Customary laws protected under Article 371 (A).

"The Nagaland Cabinet has today (Saturday) decided to take the matter to New Delhi to demand that Nagaland be exempted from the purview of Part IX of the Constitution of India," said an Nagaland government statement.

The Nagaland Cabinet has sought an emergency appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to handover the memorandum.

"All the 60 legislators of the State, both Members of Parliament, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland are to submit the memorandum jointly," said the statement.

The violence had intensified after the state government had gone ahead with the decisions to hold ULB elections in some of the places on February 1.

However, the poll was declared null and void after two Naga youths were killed and several government offices were set ablaze, including a private property of State Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang, during the protests.

--IANS

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