Though Democratic in virtue, the Republic of Nagaland being revolutionary in practice may be understood or considered as the de-facto Republic.
Unlike other Parliamentary Democracies, where parliament is supreme and comprises of upper house and lower house and where the government is mostly bi-party or multi party with the political party securing highest number of seats (single largest with ruling majority) or the coalition of political parties commanding ruling majority forms the Government, the remaining political party /parties constitutes the opposition and ensures effective “checks and balances”.
In such cases the President/Monarch acts only as a mere constitutional figure head, apolitical and also regarded as guardian of the constitution.
However in the case of the Nagas, the Legislature is unicameral (Tatar Hoho) and possess the features of both the unitary and federal system with specified Central lists and state lists between the Central govt. and regional councils, however subjects like defense, external affairs, the Army etc , the prerogative lies with the Central govt./council.
Moreover , to ensure stable, united and consensual approach to any formulation of policies, programs and strategies concerning the National interests and issues, the system of one party, one government and without opposition has been in vogue since the NNC days till date.
As of the present, the party NSCN is the basic and all-encompassing and is composed of several organs such as the Government, the parliament, the Council of Ministers and includes Ministers of State, Civil Secretariat, Regional councils and the People’s Army of Nagaland (Naga Army).
The Chairman of the Party is the President of the Government as well, descending similarly the General Secretary of the Party ultimately becomes the Ato Kilonser of the Government.
The President and the Chairman, being converged into one and the same person obviously implies that the President is not a mere constitutional Head but ‘all in all’ heads the Government and the party as well and is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces too, though not necessarily above the party constitution but is also the real head of the constitution. The Party (NSCN) precedes the Government (GPRN ). Without being enrolled(recruited) into the Party first as active member and only after becoming the full fledged member could one be absorbed or assigned to GPRN’s various ministries, regions/states or the People’s Army etc. In times of grave constitutional crisis or National emergencies the Government may even be suspended or dissolved and assisted by the People’s Army, the Party (NSCN) led by the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary etc. and party workers takes over the complete authority of the state(Party Rule) until such time the situation becomes conducive to re-instate the government(GPRN). In other words it may be understood that the Government cannot exist without the party, but the party can exist and function without government if necessary. In both cases, the President who is also the Party Chairman leads the “Rule of the Party”.The Party as explained earlier occupies the centre stage and presumably ‘Supreme and lays the basic foundation as well the structural outlines within which the various components/organs constitutes the whole”
Where as the “National assembly” though not necessarily a physical institution, represents the higher principle and the most essential political credibility upon which the Party and the Government derives it’s strength. The Party, the party constitution, Organs of the Government etc despite it’s seemingly indestructible authorities without the ultimate people’s mandate is but only a self-styled organization with limited scopes, specific functions and permitted or regulated authority.The People’s will/mandate is therefore unlike de-jure democracies
(Supremacy of Parliament) where the elected representatives through popular elections acquires and exercises the peoples mandate in parliament, in our case, the National Assembly reflects the character, virtue and ultimate finality i,e synonymous to Parliament in Parliamentary democracies, but the variation and uniqueness here is - broadly the party(NSCN),the Government(GPRN),the Parliament (Tatar Hoho), the regional councils, the People’s Army and every active NSCN members all combined together composes “National Assembly”.
Every Naga citizen were supposed to be the primary member of the one and the only national political party, but due to unfortunate proliferation of political parties and resultant splits, no political parties may convincingly assert legitimacy of having acquired absolute people’s mandate. In any case, no matter how divided or proliferated the people’s mandate may be, the same concept or the principle cannot be diluted or discarded or else the National stature or legitimacy of the party and
the government as that of the People’s representative would not have any validity or legitimacy.
The National Assembly may therefore be regarded as an affirmation of the People’s will and having composed of the Party NSCN, the Government GPRN headed by the President and the Ato Kilonser and consists of Council of Ministers, Dy.Ministers and various Ministries, Chief Secretary and other Secretariats, the National parliament (Tatar Hoho), the Regional Councils, the People’s Army and the primary representation of every Naga citizen. It does also include the statutory authority, councils or bodies constituted by an act of parliament/party and autonomous of the GPRN but to assist and guide the Government as may be necessary, for instance Security council, Advisory Councils, economic councils etc.
Unlike other Parliamentary Democracies, where parliament is supreme and comprises of upper house and lower house and where the government is mostly bi-party or multi party with the political party securing highest number of seats (single largest with ruling majority) or the coalition of political parties commanding ruling majority forms the Government, the remaining political party /parties constitutes the opposition and ensures effective “checks and balances”.
In such cases the President/Monarch acts only as a mere constitutional figure head, apolitical and also regarded as guardian of the constitution.
However in the case of the Nagas, the Legislature is unicameral (Tatar Hoho) and possess the features of both the unitary and federal system with specified Central lists and state lists between the Central govt. and regional councils, however subjects like defense, external affairs, the Army etc , the prerogative lies with the Central govt./council.
Moreover , to ensure stable, united and consensual approach to any formulation of policies, programs and strategies concerning the National interests and issues, the system of one party, one government and without opposition has been in vogue since the NNC days till date.
As of the present, the party NSCN is the basic and all-encompassing and is composed of several organs such as the Government, the parliament, the Council of Ministers and includes Ministers of State, Civil Secretariat, Regional councils and the People’s Army of Nagaland (Naga Army).
The Chairman of the Party is the President of the Government as well, descending similarly the General Secretary of the Party ultimately becomes the Ato Kilonser of the Government.
The President and the Chairman, being converged into one and the same person obviously implies that the President is not a mere constitutional Head but ‘all in all’ heads the Government and the party as well and is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces too, though not necessarily above the party constitution but is also the real head of the constitution. The Party (NSCN) precedes the Government (GPRN ). Without being enrolled(recruited) into the Party first as active member and only after becoming the full fledged member could one be absorbed or assigned to GPRN’s various ministries, regions/states or the People’s Army etc. In times of grave constitutional crisis or National emergencies the Government may even be suspended or dissolved and assisted by the People’s Army, the Party (NSCN) led by the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary etc. and party workers takes over the complete authority of the state(Party Rule) until such time the situation becomes conducive to re-instate the government(GPRN). In other words it may be understood that the Government cannot exist without the party, but the party can exist and function without government if necessary. In both cases, the President who is also the Party Chairman leads the “Rule of the Party”.The Party as explained earlier occupies the centre stage and presumably ‘Supreme and lays the basic foundation as well the structural outlines within which the various components/organs constitutes the whole”
Where as the “National assembly” though not necessarily a physical institution, represents the higher principle and the most essential political credibility upon which the Party and the Government derives it’s strength. The Party, the party constitution, Organs of the Government etc despite it’s seemingly indestructible authorities without the ultimate people’s mandate is but only a self-styled organization with limited scopes, specific functions and permitted or regulated authority.The People’s will/mandate is therefore unlike de-jure democracies
(Supremacy of Parliament) where the elected representatives through popular elections acquires and exercises the peoples mandate in parliament, in our case, the National Assembly reflects the character, virtue and ultimate finality i,e synonymous to Parliament in Parliamentary democracies, but the variation and uniqueness here is - broadly the party(NSCN),the Government(GPRN),the Parliament (Tatar Hoho), the regional councils, the People’s Army and every active NSCN members all combined together composes “National Assembly”.
Every Naga citizen were supposed to be the primary member of the one and the only national political party, but due to unfortunate proliferation of political parties and resultant splits, no political parties may convincingly assert legitimacy of having acquired absolute people’s mandate. In any case, no matter how divided or proliferated the people’s mandate may be, the same concept or the principle cannot be diluted or discarded or else the National stature or legitimacy of the party and
the government as that of the People’s representative would not have any validity or legitimacy.
The National Assembly may therefore be regarded as an affirmation of the People’s will and having composed of the Party NSCN, the Government GPRN headed by the President and the Ato Kilonser and consists of Council of Ministers, Dy.Ministers and various Ministries, Chief Secretary and other Secretariats, the National parliament (Tatar Hoho), the Regional Councils, the People’s Army and the primary representation of every Naga citizen. It does also include the statutory authority, councils or bodies constituted by an act of parliament/party and autonomous of the GPRN but to assist and guide the Government as may be necessary, for instance Security council, Advisory Councils, economic councils etc.
