ULB polls: Tribal organisations call Nagaland bandh tomorrow

Various Naga tribal organisations have called for a dawn to dusk bandh in Nagaland tomorrow to protest against the state government's decision of holding elections to municipal and town councils on February 1.
The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) comprising apex tribal bodies in the state had set today's deadline for the state government to defer or postpone the February polls.
The state cabinet today discussed the appeals made by various organisation for deferment of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections, but decided the elections cannot be deferred.
The cabinet also directed the respective district administrations and police to make adequate arrangements for smooth conduct of elections, a release issued by Commissioner and Secretary to the Chief Minister, Himato Zhimomi, said here.

The cabinet, however, asserted that the state government was ready for dialogue with tribal hohos and other organisations to explain the position of the government.
The ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) has directed all party workers to ensure that the ULB elections were held successfully.
Tribal organisations in the state have been opposing the state government's decision to hold the elections to ULBs with 33 per cent women reservation, stating that it would infringe into the special rights guaranteed by Article 371(A) of the Constitution.
Announcing the bandh, the JCC has also cautioned that state government would be solely held responsible for any untoward incident occurring during the bandh.