Political entitlements of women: recent developments in Nagaland and Manipur
Anjuman Ara Begum
Despite legislations granting women’s representation in decision making bodies like Town and Municipal Councils, patriarchal mindset and culture of male dominance prohibits women from enjoying their entitlements. This has been observed in the recent developments in Nagaland regarding the women reservation issue in Nagaland.
Nagaland Government had passed an amendment in 2006 ensuring 33% reservation for women in all town and municipal councils in Nagaland. Women groups in Nagaland have been constantly submitting memorandums to ensure the proper implementation of this amendment in the state but all fall in the deaf year of male dominated political structure in Nagaland. Despite these efforts elections are at halt in the state due to the ongoing peace process. Various excuses like customary laws, ongoing peace process, ‘its too early for women to come to such bodies’ are often citied to discourage women’s participation in the decision making bodies.
Being frustrated over the whole exercise, women’s bodies in the state formed Action Committee on Women Reservation consisting of the Naga Mothers Association (NMA), Eastern Naga Women Organisation, Naga Women Hoho, Dimapur and the Watsu Mongdang and demanded immediate implementation of   the Nagaland Municipal Amendment Act 2006 ensuring the 33% reservation of seats for women in all towns and municipalities in Nagaland. A month deadline was given to the State government to hold elections and implement the Act ensuring women’s participation. However, the Action Committee in a press note on June 30, 2011 informed that state government failed to hold the election within one month’s time and ‘on the failure of the State Government to hold elections and implement the said Act, a writ petition on behalf of Naga women was filed at the Guwahati High Court, Kohima, by two members of the Action Committee who are bonafide members of the NMA ,ie, President and Advisor of the NMA. The Writ Petition has been admitted on the 24 th June 2011,   and notice has been served to the State Government and the State Election Commission returnable in two weeks. The Court order states that “considering the nature of grievance raised, endeavour shall be made to dispose off the matter at the stage of admission hearing “ .
More than a hundred women leaders from the NMA including the Angamimiapfu Krotho, Kyong EloeHoho, Sumi  Totimi Hoho,Rengma Mothers’ Association, Pochury Mothers’ Association, Chakhesang Mothers’ Association, Zeliangrong Mepui  Organisation, Watsu Mongdang, Kuki Women Organization, Naga Women Hoho, Dimapur ,Tenyimia Women Organisation and the Eastern Naga Women Organization attended the High Court hearing at Kohima on June 24, 2011. The next hearing on this Writ Petition from Naga women has been fixed for the 15th July 2011.The Counsel for the petitioners is Colin Gonsalves from the Supreme Court of India and Director, Human Rights Law Network assisted by two other lawyers from the Supreme Court and Advocate A.Azho and three lady lawyers from Nagaland.
Meanwhile in another positive development Helam Haokip, an activist from Kuki Community become the first ever women member in KUKI INPI, an apex body of Kuki Community in Manipur. The Kuki Inpi is the traditional government of the Kuki tribe and is the apex body that functions at different levels, area, district, state and national levels. Each Kuki village is governed by the hereditary chief and often found to be very undemocratic and autocratic in nature. In Kuki Inpi, normally consists of the members of the village chiefs or elders from each clans of the Kuki tribe. Kuki tradition governed by the customary practices, unique in nature though denied women’s participation in the village authority and at other levels of community based governance organization. All these years no female member figured in the executives of the Kuki Inpi despite the untiring efforts of the Women Wing called the Kuki Women Union which is also under the umbrella of the Kuki Inpi. 
A Network called Women in Governance (Manipur) engaged in constant negotiation for women’s space in the decision making bodies proved fruitful and community male members in the leadership realized the need of women’s participation in decision making. As a result on the 4th of May 2011, Helam was appointed as member of the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) cabinet and was later given the responsibility of Secretary Custom and culture. 

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