ULB Polls: SC closes contempt case against Nagaland

DIMAPUR — The Supreme Court on Tuesday closed the contempt of court proceedings against the state of Nagaland after the state successfully conducted the urban local body (ULB) with 33 per cent reservation for women.

Legal news portal ‘Bar and Bench’ reported that a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan remarked that the holding such elections with the record number of women winners and participants was ‘very commendable’.

“The affidavit of the Chief Secretary indicates shows record number of 198 women candidates participating out of which 103 have been elected … It is submitted and rightly so that election process has been completed successfully. Civil appeal is disposed of for being infructuous. Contempt proceedings and rule is discharged”, it said, quoting the Court order.

It may be noted that the Nagaland ULB elections were held on June 26 after a 20-year gap.

Nagaland Advocate General KN Balagopal appeared for the State, and Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj appeared for the Union of India while Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves appeared for PUCL.

Advocates Sriram Parakkat and Mohamed Sadique TA represented the Nagaland Central Nagaland Women Association, which was against extending the benefit of reservation to women in local bodies, the report stated.