Kohima: The Nagaland Government has decided to appeal to the Division Bench of Gauhati High Court at Guwahati against the court’s recent order to conduct the Municipal and Town Councils elections in the state within a month.
According to official sources on Sunday, the decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinet ministers held yesterday at Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s residential office.
The Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court had on Friday ruled against the miscellaneous petition filed by the Nagaland Government seeking postponement of the civic polls in the state till the Assembly Select Committee submits its report on the Nagaland Municipal and Town Council Act, as also the entire issue of 33 per cent Women Reservation in the next six months.
The Kohima Bench had directed the Government to conduct elections to the Municipal and Town Councils within 30 days of the receipt of the judgment and order. A communique from the Chief Minister’s Office said the State Cabinet felt that the one month time period given by the Court to conduct the Municipal and Town Council elections in the state was too short for completing the statutory processes of conducting the election. Making the necessary administrative arrangements and making further consultations with the Naga Hohos, the civil societies and NGOs who are opposed to conduct of the election with the women reservation, required more time, it said.
The Cabinet meeting also felt that enough time needs to be given to the House Committee of the State Assembly to come out with their report in pursuance of the Nagaland Assembly resolution taken on March 22 last during the Budget Session on the issue. (UNI)