Kohima, Mar 27: The Nagaland assembly on Friday referred the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill back to the state government for further examination following fresh concerns raised by MLAs and pending inputs from the Centre.
The Bill, introduced on Thursday by Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, was listed for discussion and passage on Friday.
However, before it could be taken up, Speaker Sharingain Longkumer informed the House of a communication received from Parliamentary Affairs Minister KG Kenye.
Kenye told the House that a letter from the Eastern Nagaland Legislators Union (ENLU) highlighted certain provisions missing in the Bill when compared to the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on February 5, in New Delhi, between the Centre, the state government and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO).
He said the discrepancies and “contentious issues” necessitated reconsideration, suggesting that the Bill should not be enacted in the current session but be referred back to the government for further consideration.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said the government was committed to equitable and inclusive development of the six eastern districts, Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak and Shamator.
Rio stated the FNTA is envisaged as a special self-governing territorial authority to address socio-economic, cultural and administrative aspirations of Eastern Nagaland, in line with the MoA that provides for a four-tier structure.
He outlined that while the state would allocate funds based on population and size, the Centre would extend special development grants under various schemes, with the FNTA empowered to prepare its own annual plans and identify priority projects.
However, pointing to key legal and procedural challenges, Rio said the state Cabinet, after deliberations and legal opinion, had flagged that legislative powers cannot be delegated to the proposed authority through a state law under the existing constitutional framework.
The matter has since been referred to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, which is still examining the issue and has sought additional time, including the opinion of the Solicitor General of India, he said.
Rio said both ENPO and ENLU had, on Thursday, urged the state government to defer passage of the Bill until all concerns were addressed and clarity achieved regarding the MoA provisions.
“In view of the request of the Government of India, a signatory to the MoA, and appeals from ENPO and ENLU, and to ensure the provisions are legally sound and constitutionally tenable, the Bill may be deferred and referred back to the government,” he proposed.
Accepting the proposal, Speaker Longkumer directed that the Bill be deferred to the next earliest emergent session and referred it back to the state government for necessary examination and redressal. (PTI)
