Rio stands on 33% women reservation

Kohima, Aug 29 (UNI) Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has said his government was firm on its stand to implement the Women Reservation Act with 33 per cent reservation.

Laying the foundation stone at Clark Centre for Leadership Development (CCLD) at the Clark Theological College, Aolichen in Mokokchung district yesterday, Mr Rio said there will be no municipal election without the Act.

There would be no compromise on the issue and any change, if at all necessitated, has to be referred back to Parliament. He also said the Women Reservation Act did not interfere with Ao Customary Law, he asserted.

Mr Rio's stand comes after the men-folk of Mokokchung town opposed the 33 per cent reservation in the forthcoming first ever Mokokchung Municipal Council election scheduled by the end of next month.

The women in the area were demanding implementation of the Act before the municipal elections.

UNI AS PC SP KN1713