Nagaland Election Commissioner notifies cancellation of ULB polls

Kohima: State Election Commissioner (SEC) T Mhabemo Yanthan, on Thursday, notified the cancellation of the May 16 general election to the Urban Local Body (ULB) after the state Assembly repealed the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001. 

The SEC informed that the election programme notified on March 9 for the conduct of the polls in 3 municipal councils and 36 town councils, stands cancelled till further orders.

This comes after the state Assembly, on the last day of the recently concluded budget session, repealed the NMA 2001 in toto after public threats to boycott the polls if the Act was not amended.

The House had taken note that the implementation of the Act has always been “fraught with much controversy due to the public perception that the Act runs contrary to the spirit of Article 371-A”.

While the polls were notified, the Government said that it had received reports that the law and order situation could worsen with time in the event the elections are held without fulfilling the demands of the public.

The House deliberated had on the matter and deemed that the Urban Local Bodies election cannot be conducted unless the NMA 2001 is repealed.

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