Kohima: Nagaland officials plan to convene a special legislative session to form the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority. The state cabinet confirmed the move after an emergency meeting with regional leaders. They want to avoid a massive shutdown. The Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation scheduled a public rally for July 10. The government asked them to call it off.
State leaders met extensively and in detail to map out the next steps. They will send a delegation led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to New Delhi. The group plans to press the central government for a funding boost. They want a minimum of 10,000 crore rupees for the region. The current proposal sits at half that amount.
The government remains firm on regional law. They stated that "the provisions and safeguards enshrined under Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India are sacred and sacrosanct and shall neither be diluted nor altered in any manner whatsoever." Officials insist this constitutional protection stays intact.
Drafting the new law remains a complex task. The state Advocate General previously warned that local laws cannot simply hand over legislative powers to a new body. The Home Ministry is currently reviewing those legal hurdles. State officials promised to keep working within the law to finish the deal. They claim they want Eastern Nagaland to grow alongside the rest of the state.
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