Dimapur, May 29 (MExN): The Six District Gaon Burah (GB) Associations of Dimapur, Kohima, Tseminyu, Chümoukedima, Mokokchung, and Wokha, along with the GB Union Dimapur (Sadar), have jointly urged the State Government to revoke the December 6, 2023 order that put the appointment of GBs in urban areas on hold.
In a joint press communique issued after an emergency consultative meeting, the associations expressed deep concern over what they termed as the “unfavorable impacts” of the abeyance order, warning that the absence of GBs in towns was creating a vacuum in grassroots-level law and order management and administrative coordination.
The associations reiterated the historical and constitutional relevance of the GB institution, tracing its origins to 1886 during British rule under the Assam Land & Revenue Regulation Act. They emphasized that the GBs, often referred to as village headmen, are not only agents of rural administration but also vital constitutional custodians of Naga customary laws and practices under Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution.
“Gaon Burahs are the Constitutional Custodians of the Naga Customary Laws and Courts, both in towns and villages,” the statement read. The associations argued that Naga culture, tradition, and customary laws remain equally relevant in both urban and rural settings and should not be diluted or rendered inapplicable based on geography.
The statement further questioned whether the progression of districts into townships under the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) system implied that customary laws no longer applied in such areas. “Similarly, is it to be taken that GBship has become irrelevant and needs to be done away with just because the terminology is referred as ‘Gaon Burah’?” they asked.
The press note pointed to growing law and order issues in the absence of appointed GBs in towns. “Due to the abeyance order by the government, anti-social elements are indulging by taking advantage of the situation on a daily basis, in which the public are at the receiving end,” it stated. The associations warned that if the current situation continues, it could lead to lawlessness and administrative breakdowns.
The joint statement also criticized the December 6 order (Commissioner of Nagaland Order No. CNR-5/GBS-MISC/2023/235) for creating “a huge disparity in terms of non-service accessibility by the common citizens and non-administrative activities representative on behalf of the district administration at the grassroots level.”
They said that GBs, once appointed, assist the administration and all government departments in maintaining law and order, verifying ground realities, and identifying indigenous and non-indigenous residents in urban localities.
Calling for immediate action, the six associations and the GBUD (Sadar) appealed to the government to understand the critical role GBs play and to revoke the abeyance order. “This would pave the way for appointment of GBs wherever there are vacancies as per criteria so that the rule of law is put in order in the present complex society,” they asserted.
The associations unanimously expressed support for the Nagaland GB Federation (NGBF) and endorsed the federation’s press statement issued on May 17, 2025, regarding the same issue.
The statement was jointly signed by the presidents of the six district associations and the Dimapur Sadar GB Union.
