Guwahati, Mar 23: The Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), a coalition of seven organisations, have called upon the state government to take urgent steps regarding two key issues—the proposed delimitation of Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies and the suo moto PIL concerning the Nagaland Petroleum & Natural Gas (NPNG) Rules and Regulations.
The appeal comes shortly after the Supreme Court granted the Centre three months to carry out the delimitation exercise in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland.
The NNPGs, which signed an Agreed Position pact with the Centre to resolve the long-standing Naga political issue, urged the state government to halt the delimitation process and communicate the people’s concerns to the Centre.
In a letter to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the NNPGs expressed discontent over the Centre’s failure to inform the Supreme Court about the status of the Naga peace talks.
They pointed out that political negotiations had concluded on October 31, 2019, with an agreement to expand the Nagaland Assembly to 80 seats to ensure representation for all 17 Naga tribes. Additionally, they stated that the number of Lok Sabha seats would be increased from one to three.
They stressed the importance of honouring historical and political agreements made during peace talks.
The NNPGs also raised concerns over the impending hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the constitutional validity of the Nagaland Petroleum & Natural Gas Rules and Regulations before the Gauhati High Court.
They asserted that these regulations are a crucial part of the ongoing Naga peace process, and any judicial ruling could further complicate the matter.
Highlighting the state government’s role as a facilitator in the peace talks, the NNPGs urged the state administration to present the facts before the court.
They maintained that the issues under consideration are deeply intertwined with political discussions and agreements, with some aspects already settled, and should be acknowledged as such in legal proceedings.
The developments have put the state government in a delicate position as it navigates between legal mandates and political commitments tied to the Naga peace process.
With inputs from news agency