The Genesis of Nagaland State

The Genesis of Nagaland State: For nearly a century, the British India government administered the Naga Hills as a part of Assam province. Beginning from 1886, the Naga Hills remained as a cultural museum, under the British suzerainty till 1947. After India's independence in 1947, it remained as a district in Assam till December 1957. The erstwhile Naga Hills of Assam and the erstwhile Tuensang Frontier Division of the North East Frontier Administration (NEFA) were brought together for the first time ever, as a separate administrative unit, known as the Naga Hills-Tuensang Area (NHTA) under the External Affairs Ministry of the Government of India, through a political agreement between the Naga People's Convention and the Government of India in 1957. NHTA was consisted of three administrative districts, namely, Kohima, Mokokchung and Tuensang. NHTA administration started functioning from December 1, 1957 to February, 1961. The Nagaland State Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in December 1962. But a transitional period of 3 years was envisaged as a fore-runner of the Statehood. An Interim Body was inaugurated on 18th February 1961 to function as the Defacto legislative assembly. An executive council consisting of 5 executive councillors was sworn in as the de-facto council of ministers. The transitional arrangement was envisaged as a fore-runner of the Statehood and to enable the Naga underground nationalist to negotiate with India for lasting peace and a satisfactory final political settlement of the Naga political problem. The first ever Naga government: The separate formation of a State for the Nagas was through political agreement between the Naga People's Convention and the Government of India in July 1960. The famous 16-Point political agreement brought about a very special and unique state. Special constitutional safeguards are provided in the Constitution under Article 371-A (1) to protect Naga identity and Naga way of life. The Indian Parliament cannot