President's Rule in Nagaland challenged in Gauhati court

Guwahati, Jan 9 (UNI) Imposition of President's rule in Nagaland was challenged at Gauhati High Court today which issued notices to the Centre and fixed February 5 as the next hearing.

Nagaland Peoples Front(NPF) leader and MLA Yivatchu filed the writ petition on behalf of the outgoing Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) before the high court.

The petition was heard by a division bench consisting of Chief Justice Jasti Chelemaswar and Mr Justice A Postangbam who admitted it for hearing.

Renowned legal luminary and constitutional expert Soli S Sorabjee appeared for the petitioner.

The case will now be heard on February 5. Assembly polls in Nagaland are expected next month.

The Union Cabinet decided on recommendation of Central rule last week as the Neiphu Rio government in the north eastern state had been beset with political uncertainty.

Last month, as many as 30 legislators met the President seeking dismissal of the Rio government as it had lost a majority on the floor of the 60-member Assembly.

The Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government, formed by the NPF, BJP, JD(U) and Independents, was dismissed on January 3 following imposition of President's rule.

Traffic on the National Highway-39 in Nagaland was affected yesterday in the wake of a blockade enforced by the youth wing of Nagaland People's Front (NPF) to protest imposition of Central rule in the state.

However, the blockade did not disrupt life at Kohima and Dimapur with shops, business establishments and offices functioning smoothly, police said.

The BJP and NCP extended support to the protest terming the Centre's decision as 'undemocratic and unconstitutional' as it disregarded the mandate given to DAN.

The Pradesh Congress Committee had criticised the NPF and BJP for imposing the bandh and called upon these parties to go to Delhi to meet their leaders.

Both BJP and NPF had also launched poster campaigns in capital Kohima decrying party defectors and the Congress.

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