Nagaland to conduct ULB polls with 33% women reservation for first time

Nagaland, April 27: Nagaland is gearing up for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections with significant strides towards gender inclusivity as the state cabinet approved the State Election Commission’s proposal to conduct the civic polls for three Municipal councils and 36 Town councils on June 26.

The Municipal Affairs Department confirmed the administrative approval of the election schedule, highlighting the rotation of reserved wards for women as mandated by the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2023.

Nagaland is set to conduct the ULB election after a gap of twenty years. Notably, the Nagaland Municipal and Town Council Act 2001 was enacted without the inclusion of 33% women reservation. The first elections under this Act took place in 2004, excluding the provision for women's reservation. The Act was later amended in 2006.

However, in 2017, violent protests erupted against ULB elections proposing 33% reservation for women, leading to casualties and vandalism of government properties. Opposition stemmed from concerns about potential infringements on special provisions granted to Nagaland under Article 371(A) of the Constitution.

The Act was repealed, and a new Act called the Nagaland Municipal Act 2023, inclusive of 33% women reservation, was enacted in the state Assembly last year.

Polling to the municipal and town councils will take place from 7:30 AM to 4 PM on June 26, with the nomination filing period commencing on June 7 and concluding at 3 PM on June 11. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until June 20. The results will be declared on June 29, with re-polling, if necessary, scheduled for June 28.