Nagaland civic body polls to have 33% quota for women

Subject : Polity

Section: PRI/ULB

Concept :

The State Election Commission of Nagaland has announced it will hold polls for 39 Urban Local Bodies (ULB) after almost two decades on May 16, with 33 per cent reservation of seats for women.
Elections for ULB were not conducted since 2004 over the issue of the “unresolved” Naga peace talks, and reservation for women, which several tribal bodies opposed, asserting that it infringes on the special rights for Nagaland guaranteed under Article 371(A) of the Constitution.
An attempt to hold the ULB elections with 33% reservation for women in 2017 triggered a backlash with protesters setting government buildings ablaze. And it also resulted in the resignation of R. Zeliang as the Chief Minister.
On March 9, 2022, representatives from across the Naga society unanimously agreed to ULB elections with 33 per cent reservation for women.
The decision was taken during a consultative meeting of all stakeholders including civil society organisations, churches, tribal bodies, political parties and NGOs convened by the state government in the presence of legislators.
Organisations such as the Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) have hailed the notification for the ULB polls.

Women Reservation in ULB’s

The 74th Constitutional Amendment of 1992 not only mandated gender reservation but also provided constitutional safeguards to the long due demand for ensuring female representation in the polity at the sub-national level.

The relevant features given in the Article 243T(3) are:

It provided for the women reservation of not less than 33 percent of the total number of seats in the urban local bodies (ULBs) mandatory.
Also, not less than 33 percent of seats are further reserved for the women belonging to SC/ST communities.
At least 33 percent of the offices of chairpersons in urban local bodies are reserved for women.
To ensure that the effect of the reservation is evenly spread across all the geographical areas of the city, the reserve seats are allotted to different territorial constituencies on a rotational basis.

Special Provisions related to Nagaland

Article 371A deals with the special provisions with respect to the State of Nagaland.
Article 371A (1) (b) – the Governor of Nagaland has special responsibility with respect to law and order in the state so long as internal disturbances caused by the hostile Nagas continue.
For instance, under Article 371A (1) (b) of the Constitution, important functions like “transfer and posting of officials” entrusted with the maintenance of law and order of and above the district level will be with the approval of the Governor.