Nagaland ULB Elections Set for June 26; 33% Reservation for Women

KOHIMA: The government of Nagaland has decided to hold elections for urban local bodies (ULB) in the state on June 26.

This is the first time in 20 years that such elections will take place in Nagaland. The last municipal elections in the state were held in 2004.

The Nagaland Cabinet gave administrative approval for holding the ULB elections during its meeting on Friday.

This upcoming municipal election in the state will be the first to have a 33 percent reservation for women. Tribal bodies and civil society organizations in Nagaland had objected to this reservation, which caused a delay in holding the elections.

The Nagaland State Election Commission has updated the electoral roll for all 39 municipal and town councils. This update was done to include any changes in the roll that occurred after November 2022, in preparation for the elections to form municipal and town councils in Nagaland.

Meanwhile, in a massive protest and act of unity, 20 legislators from Eastern Nagaland decided not to vote in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections. The action led to eerily quit polling stations across the six districts in the region.

The districts, including Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphre, Moklak, and Shamator, have a lot of voters. However, no votes have been cast in any of them by noon.

The legislators chose to abstain from voting after the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) made a heartfelt request to them. ENPO urged the legislators to respect the citizens’ choice of not voting.

The ENPO warned that if the legislators try to vote, it could lead to public unrest. The organization highlighted that the legislators’ decision not to vote represents the united voice of the community.

The polling stations in Mon and other parts of Eastern Nagaland were empty, with no voters, as the legislators stay indoors as they promised during the polling time.

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