The Supreme Court of India (SC) has directed the Nagaland Government and the State Election Commission to conduct the election of municipalities and town councils by January 2023.

This was announced by a bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MM Sundresh. The bench also listed the matter for compliance in February 2023.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) concerning local body elections in the state.

In the last hearing, the top court asked the State Election Commission to file an affidavit mentioning the date as when they will notify the elections. The top court had noted that the final publication of electoral rolls will be on November 24, 2022 and therefore called upon the State Election Commission to strictly follow the schedule without any extension being sought for the said purpose.

Earlier, the SC pulled up the state government over not responding to the request of the Election Commission in the state's urban local bodies and said that an important aspect of gender equality seems to be getting postponed.