Women and Women’s Quota in Urban Local Bodies in Nagaland: A Saga of Struggle and Success

In June 2024, the Nagaland state in India’s Northeast held the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections after a gap of two decades. According to reports, out of 278 seats in civic bodies, women won 102 seats. The numbers indicate how women’s quota can pave the way for women into male-dominated political arenas in patriarchal societies. In 2023, two Naga women were elected to the 60-member Nagaland Legislative Assembly for the first time since state formation in 1963, which was hailed as “historic". These positive developments can be considered major steps in Naga women’s decades of struggle for their constitutional rights.