Kohima: The Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench pushed back the hearing for two Public Interest Litigations regarding Indigenous Inhabitant Certificates until August 19. The delay grants the Nagaland government more time to submit a required affidavit.
Justice Susmita Phukan Khaund and Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita set the new date after Advocate General K N Balgopal confirmed the government sent the documents on August 12. The state aims to argue the maintainability of the petitions before addressing the merits of the case. The Angami Public Organisation and the Nagaland Tribes Council filed these separate petitions to challenge how the state hands out residency status.
Counsel for the petitioners pushed for an immediate hearing. She argued the issue is "sensational" and accused the state of stalling through multiple adjournments. The court denied her request, ordering the state to submit its filing in one week.
The legal fight centers on a September 20, 2024, notification issued by the state. This policy conflicts with 1977 guidelines that anchored indigenous status to electoral rolls or property records dating back to December 5, 1963. The court previously questioned why the 2024 rules lack clarity on whether applicants or their ancestors lived in Nagaland before December 1, 1963. Judges also flagged a Cabinet decision to issue certificates to 15 tribes regardless of their specific location. The court warned on July 22 that this would be the state's last chance to file. It will consider interim orders if the government misses the new deadline.
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