Nagaland Chief Minister, T R Zeliang has asserted that the state government is willing to grant 25 per cent reservation to women through nomination and not election to the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) in the state.
"The government will amend the Municipal Council Act 2001 in the state assembly, if the Naga Mothers' Association (NMA) accepts the proposal instead of fighting for 33 per cent women reservation in the state ULBs," Zeliang said on the sidelines of inaugural function of 'Short Stay Home' for people living with HIV constructed by NMA here yesterday.
Asserting that there would not be any political nomination of women into any of the ULBs, Zeliang clarified that the Deputy Commissioner of the respective districts would nominate the 25 per cent women after thorough consultation with NMA and women's bodies of the district.
Zeliang, however, regretted that the NMA is reluctant to accept the proposal and decided to wait for the final outcome of the ongoing case filed by their representatives in the Supreme Court.
The CM rued that because of the pending case in the Supreme Court, Nagaland has been unable to avail ULB funds amounting to Rs 20-40 crore annually sanctioned by the Centre.
(Reopens CES14)
Meanwhile, NMA President Abeiu Meru reaffirmed that
the women's body would not back out from their demand on 33 per cent reservation in all ULBs.
Meru said that Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation (JACWR) taking into consideration the Supreme Court ruling of April 5, 2016, which upheld holding municipal elections by implementing 33 per cent women reservation, has already submitted a letter to the state Chief Minister and Election Department to conduct the municipal and town council elections at the earliest.
"We are waiting action from the state government and expressed hope that the SC ruling upheld," she said.
Meru also asserted that women's groups in the state would file a contempt of court if the state government fails to take action on the Court ruling at the earliest.
