The Nagaland Tribal Area Range & Village Council Act , 1966

(1) This Act may be called the Nagaland Tribal, Area, Range and Village Councils Act, 1966. (2) It extents to Kohima and Mokokchung districts in Nagaland. (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context; (a) “area council” means the Area Council constituted for the Dimapur area in Kohima district; (b) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (c) “recognized range council” means the Range Councils recognized by the Government as such and so notified in the Official Gazette; (d) “tribal council” means the Tribal Councils constituted for each Tribe in Kohima and Mokokchung districts; and (e) “village council” means the Village Councils constituted for one or more villages in Kohima and Mokokchung districts.

With effect from such date as the Sate Government of Nagaland may, by notification, in this behalf specify, there shall be established: - (a) a Tribal Council for each tribe; (b) an Area Council for the Dimapur area in Kohima district; (c) a Range Council wherever there may be a recognized range, in the districts of Kohima and Mokokchung; (d) a Village Council for one or more villages in the districts of Kohima and Mokokchung, as may be deemed necessary by the Deputy Commissioners of these districts.

A Tribal Council, an Area Council, a Range Council and a Village Council shall discuss and recommend schemes relating to welfare and community development at the tribal, area, range or village level, as the case may be, and shall also assist the local authorities in matters relating to all development and other works and settlement of disputes, as may be prescribed and allotted to it, from time to time by the State Government.

(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for the constitution of Tribal, Area, Range and Village Councils in consultation with the existing Tribal Councils or other representative tribal organizations and such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters: (a) the composition of the Tribal, Area, Range or Village Councils and the allocation of seats therein and the manner in which the members of the Councils shall be elected; (b) dissolution of a Tribal, Area, Range or Village Council and its re-composition; (c) the delimitation of the territorial constituencies for purpose of elections to these councils; (d) the qualification for voting at such an election and preparation of Electoral Rolls therefore; (e) the qualification for being elected at such election as member of such Councils; (f) the term of office of, and salaries and allowance if any, to be paid to members of such Councils; (g) any other matter relating or connected with election or nomination to such Councils; (h) the procedure and conduct of business in the Councils; (i) the appointment of officers and staff of the Councils and their conditions of services; (j) the powers exercisable by the said Councils in dispute involving customary laws; and (k) any other matter in respect of which it is necessary to make rules for the constitution and proper functioning of the Councils. (2) Every rule made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before the Nagaland Legislative Assembly while it is in session for a total period of seven days, which may be comprised in one session or in two successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the Nagaland Legislative Assembly agree in making any modification in the rule or the Nagaland Legislative Assembly agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect as the case may be; so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.