SC directs to conduct municipal elections in Nagaland by January 2023

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) concerning local body elections in the state.

Nagaland:The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Nagaland Government and State Election Commission to conduct the election of municipalities and town councils by January 2023. A bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MM Sundresh directed the elections of municipal councils to be held by January 2023 and thereafter, listed the matter for compliance in February 2023. The apex court was hearing a plea filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) concerning local body elections in the state.

In the last hearing, the top court asked State Election Commission to file an affidavit mentioning the date when they will notify the elections. The top court had noted that the final publication of electoral rolls will be on November 24, 2022, and therefore called upon the State Election Commission to strictly follow the schedule without any extension being sought for the said purpose.

Earlier, the Supreme Court pulled up the Nagaland government over not responding to the request of the Election Commission in the state’s urban local bodies and said that an important aspect of gender equality seems to be getting postponed.

The bench had noted that the State government is not responding to the request of the Election Commission. The Court had said after perusal of the note filed by the respondent, the Nagaland State Election Commission, noted that “the report is once again a reflection on the lackadaisical attitude of the State Government even in furtherance of assurances given to this Court apart from the fact of the legal mandate which they are required to follow.

Nagaland State Govt had earlier assured that they will amend the mandate of the Act and a report of the Committee is expected in about a month’s time