List of Municipal Councils and Town Councils in Nagaland – Nagaland Municipal Act
Municipalities as per the Constitution of India
Municipal governance in India has existed since the year 1687, with the formation of Madras Municipal Corporation, and then Calcutta and Bombay Municipal Corporation in 1726.
The types of Municipalities and its constitution is defined in “Article 243Q of PART IXA – THE MUNICIPALITIES” of the Constitution of India.
“243Q. Constitution of Municipalities.—
(1) There shall be constituted in every State,—
(a) a Nagar Panchayat (by whatever name called) for a transitional area, that is to say, an area in transition from a rural area to an urban area.
(b) a Municipal Council for a smaller urban area; and
(c) a Municipal Corporation for a larger urban area, in accordance with the provisions of this Part:….”
Thus, Urban local bodies (ULBs) in the country are classified into the three major categories:
- Municipal corporation (Nagar Nigam)
- Municipal Council (Nagar Palika Parishad)
- Town Areas (Nagar Panchayat)
Brief information on Nagaland Municipal Act:
- Municipal Councils and Town Councils in Nagaland are governed by the Nagaland Municipal Act.
- The first Nagaland Municipal Act was passed by the Nagaland State Assembly in the year 2001 – The Nagaland Municipal Act 2001.
- Thereafter, the first Municipal election in Nagaland was held in 2004 for 2 {two} Municipal Councils and 16 {sixteen} Town Councils in 2004. The terms of the civic bodies ended in 2009-10.
- ULBs elections in Nagaland have not been conducted for two decades due to protest against women reservation and others. The State witnessed violent protests in 2017 also leading to two deaths.
- The Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 was later amended in 2006, and included 33% Women reservation in accordance with the provisions contained the Article 243-T of the Constitution. However, due to widespread protests against women reservations and due to the public perception that the Nagaland Municipal Act runs contrary to the spirit of Article 371-A, subsequent municipal elections could not be held due to widespread protests and violence. Several Naga organisations claimed that the reservations for women in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) is against customary laws, and go against the ethos of Article 371-A.
- Nagaland Municipal Bill 2023 was passed in the Emergent Session of 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly in the year 2023 and retained 33 per cent reservation for women. The Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 was repealed, and new Act, “The Nagaland Municipal Act 2023” was passed by the State Assembly in 2023.
Women reservation as per Nagaland Municipal Act 2023:
Women reservation in Municipal Council and Town Council is specified under section 9 and section 21 respectively in the Nagaland Municipal Act 2023:
Section 9: Reservation of Seats for women:
Not less than one-third of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Municipal Council shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Municipality.
21. Reservation of seats for women:
Not less than one-third of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Town Council shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Town Council.
The Nagaland Urban Local Bodies (ULB) election will be held in 2024 with 33% reservation for women for the first time.
List of Municipal Councils and Town Councils in Nagaland
Difference between Municipal Council and Town Council based on population
Population size of Municipal Council and Town Council as per Section 3 (1), Nagaland Municipal Act 2023:
- Municipal Council: area where the population of such area is 20,000 and above
- Town Council: area where the population of such area is below 20,000 but not less than 5,000
- The State Government may also declare a smaller urban area having a population below 5000 and not less than 1000 as Urban Station Committee area.
Total number of Municipal Councils in Nagaland: three (3)
- Kohima Municipal Council
- Dimapur Municipal Council
- Mokokchung Municipal Council
Total number of Town Councils in Nagaland: Thirty Six (36)
List of Municipal Councils and Town Councils in Nagaland are in the table below for your reference.
| Name of Municipality | District | Total no. of wards | No. of wards reserved for women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aboi Town Council | Mon | 9 | 3 |
| Aghunato Town Council | Zunheboto | 9 | 3 |
| Atoizu Town Council | Zunheboto | 9 | 3 |
| Bhandari Town Council | Wokha | 9 | 3 |
| Changtongya Town Council | Mokokchung | 11 | 4 |
| Chiephobozou Town Council | Kohima | 9 | 3 |
| Chozuba Town Council | Phek | 9 | 3 |
| Chumoukedima Town Council | Chumoukedima | 11 | 4 |
| Dimapur Municipal Council ** | Dimapur | 23 | 8 |
| East Dimapur Town Council | Dimapur | 11 | 4 |
| Jalukie Town Council | Peren | 9 | 3 |
| Kiphire Town Council | Kiphire | 11 | 4 |
| Kohima Municipal Council ** | Kohima | 19 | 6 |
| Longkhim Town Council | Tuensang | 9 | 3 |
| Longleng Town Council | Longleng | 11 | 4 |
| Mangkolemba Town Council | Mokokchung | 9 | 3 |
| Medziphema Town Council | Chumoukedima | 9 | 3 |
| Meluri Town Council | Phek | 9 | 3 |
| Mokokchung Municipal Council ** | Mokokchung | 18 | 6 |
| Mon Town Council | Mon | 11 | 4 |
| Naginimora Town Council | Mon | 9 | 3 |
| Niuland Town Council | Niuland | 9 | 3 |
| Noklak Town Council | Noklak | 9 | 3 |
| Peren Town Council | Peren | 9 | 3 |
| Pfutsero Town Council | Phek | 11 | 4 |
| Phek Town Council | Phek | 11 | 4 |
| Pungro Town Council | Kiphire | 9 | 3 |
| Satakha Town Council | Zunheboto | 9 | 3 |
| Seyochung Town Council | Kiphire | 9 | 3 |
| Shamator Town Council | Shamator | 11 | 4 |
| Tamlu Town Council | Longleng | 9 | 3 |
| Tening Town Council | Peren | 9 | 3 |
| Tizit Town Council | Mon | 9 | 3 |
| Tobu Town Council | Mon | 9 | 3 |
| Tseminyu Town Council | Tseminyu | 9 | 3 |
| Tuensang Town Council | Tuensang | 15 | 5 |
| Tuli Town Council | Mokokchung | 9 | 3 |
| Wokha Town Council | Wokha | 15 | 5 |
| Zunheboto Town Council | Zunheboto | 13 | 4 |
Each Municipal or Town Council area is divided into territorial constituencies to be known as ‘wards‘ for the purpose of filling up the seats in the Municipal/Town Council by direct election. There are a total of 418 wards spread across 39 Municipality and Town Councils in Nagaland.
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