On Thursday, August 29, the Nagaland Assembly passed six significant bills through a voice vote. The bills approved include the Nagaland Goods and Services Tax (Ninth Amendment) Bill, the Nagaland Municipal (Amendment) Bill, and the Disqualification on Grounds of Defection in Urban Local Bodies Bill. Speaker Sharingain Longkumer conducted the vote, after which the bills were passed and the House was adjourned sine die.
Earlier, on August 28, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced that his government will review the three-decade-old Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act. This review will follow extensive consultations with civil society groups, the public, and church organizations.
The discussion on the NLTP Act of 1989, which was initially enacted to address alcohol-related issues like domestic violence and public disorder, was a key focus of the assembly’s monsoon session. The conversation, spearheaded by Advisor Moatoshi Longkumer and supported by Minister Temjen Imna Along and Advisor Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, highlighted the ongoing challenges posed by spurious liquor, which remains prevalent despite the prohibition.
