Kohima: Nagaland lawmakers set ground rules for the committee tasked with vetting federal laws. Power and Parliamentary Affairs Minister KG Kenye presented the Internal Working Rules of the Committee to Examine the Applicability of Laws Passed by Parliament on September 1. The panel adopted these procedures back on May 18, 2026.
This committee checks every Act of Parliament and Constitutional Amendment to see if they clash with Article 371-A of the Constitution. It must decide if specific laws require special state-level approval before taking effect in Nagaland. The Chairperson noted the panel is meant to safeguard protected matters.
The committee roster is capped at 11 people. Kenye leads the group, while the Law and Justice Minister or a Speaker-appointed delegate serves as Co-Chairperson. The lineup includes the Leader of Opposition, six assembly members, the Advocate-General, and the Law and Justice Secretary. Four members make a quorum.
The process starts when the Assembly Secretariat flags a bill. The Chairperson sets the meeting time and members review confidential documents beforehand. The rules mandate verbatim records and formal reports for the House. The Chairperson also holds the power to spin off sub-committees for deeper dives.
This body is not new. It first launched on August 22, 2006, as the Committee to Scrutinise Parliamentary Laws for Application to Nagaland. It became part of the assembly proceedings under Rule 221-A. Officials updated the name and rules following recommendations from the Fifth Report of the Rules Committee in 2023. The panel’s lifespan matches the current State Legislative Assembly.
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