Northeast Desk, 12th June: A total of 669 candidates have filed their nominations for the upcoming elections to the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Nagaland, scheduled to be held on June 26.
As per the State Election Commission, out of the 669 candidates, 238 are women who have filed their nomination papers for the three municipal councils and 36 town councils. The deadline for filing nominations was Tuesday, with scrutiny of documents scheduled for Thursday. Candidates have until June 18 to withdraw their candidature.
This election marks a significant moment in Nagaland’s political history, as it’s the first time in 20 years that ULB elections are being held in the state. Moreover, these elections will also witness a historic milestone as they will be the first-ever municipal elections with 33 percent reservation for women.
In the past, attempts to conduct ULB elections were hindered by objections from tribal bodies and civil society organizations regarding reservations for women, as well as concerns over taxation on land and properties. These objections were based on the assertion that such provisions violated Nagaland’s special rights guaranteed by Article 371(A) of the Constitution.
The decision to hold elections in 2017 was deferred following clashes that resulted in two fatalities and numerous injuries, along with arson attacks on government offices, including the Kohima Municipal Council office.
Despite calls from the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) to abstain from the elections, several candidates from the ruling NDPP and BJP have filed nominations, according to officials. ENPO, representing seven Naga tribes in six eastern districts, has been advocating for a ‘Frontier Nagaland Territory,’ citing years of neglect in the region.
Previously, ENPO had urged people to boycott the Lok Sabha polls for the lone seat in the state.
The votes cast in the ULB elections will be counted on June 29.