Kohima: The Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench issued a final warning to the Nagaland government on July 22. Justices Parthivjyoti Saikia and Yarenjungla Longkumer demanded a counter affidavit regarding the criteria for issuing Indigenous Inhabitant Certificates. The state has until August 12 to comply.
The court reviewed two separate legal challenges. The Angami Public Organization filed PIL/2/2026, while the Nagaland Tribes Council filed PIL/4/2025. Counsel for the petitioners fought back against repeated state delays. The Additional Advocate General had previously asked for more time on April 22, May 20, and June 17. The court signaled that it would consider an interim order if the state misses this final deadline.
This dispute centers on a September 20, 2024, notification that changed how the state verifies residents. Current rules involve Village Verification Committees and Administrative Officers vetting applications before a Deputy Commissioner signs off. The forms now track ancestry back to the paternal great-grandfather. However, the court found the notification fails to specify if applicants or their kin must have lived in Nagaland before December 1, 1963.
This date remains the legal benchmark for state employment status under a 1977 notification. The judges noted the state cabinet decided to issue certificates to 15 recognized Naga tribes regardless of their current location. The bench declared, "One last opportunity is given to the State respondent(s) to file counter affidavit," and requested formal clarification on the residency requirements.
Comments