NPP disqualification proceedings have begun in Nagaland after the National People’s Party (NPP) approached the Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker against five of its MLAs who joined the Naga People’s Front (NPF). The party filed separate petitions on October 5, seeking action under the anti-defection provisions of the Constitution’s Tenth Schedule.
The move has opened a fresh political and constitutional dispute in Nagaland. The five legislators had won their seats on NPP tickets in the 2023 Assembly election but formally moved to the NPF on October 1. The switch increased the NPF’s strength in the 60-member House to 39.
Five MLAs face NPP disqualification plea
The five legislators named in the petitions are A Nyamnyei Konyak from 48-Moka, Nuklutoshi from 22-Arkakong, C Kipili Sangtam from 59-Seyochung-Sitimi, Dr Tseilhoutuo Rhutso from 9-Kohima Town and Benei M Lamthiu from 57-Thonoknyu.
All five were elected as NPP candidates in the 2023 Nagaland Assembly elections. According to the NPP, their subsequent decision to join the NPF warrants consideration under the anti-defection provisions. National NPP vice-president Vevoyi Wideo submitted the petitions before the Assembly authorities.
The party said it respects the constitutional office of the Speaker and would present its case in accordance with the law. The NPP disqualification request now places the issue before the Speaker, who has the authority to decide petitions relating to disqualification under the anti-defection framework.
Why the NPF switch is being challenged
The controversy centres on how the five legislators’ move should be treated under the Tenth Schedule. On October 1, the Nagaland Assembly Secretariat notified that the MLAs had furnished information claiming their merger with the NPF.
The Speaker subsequently declared their merger with the NPF effective from October 1 under Paragraph 4(2) of the Tenth Schedule and the Members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 2019.
The NPP, however, has challenged the move and maintained that the development should not simply be treated as a merger between the two political parties. Before filing the petitions, the party had described the switch as “poaching” and argued that the electoral mandate won on NPP tickets remained with the voters.
The NPP disqualification petition therefore raises questions over whether the five MLAs can continue as members after changing their political affiliation and whether their move meets the constitutional conditions for protection from disqualification.
NPF strength rises to 39 in Assembly
The political impact of the switch is significant. Before the five NPP legislators joined, the NPF had 34 members in the 60-member Assembly. Their addition raised the party’s strength to 39.
The NPF welcomed the move, saying the five legislators had voluntarily joined the regional party and expressed confidence in its leadership and policies. Chief Minister and NPF president Neiphiu Rio also welcomed their decision and said their entry would strengthen the regional political force.
The latest development comes amid a broader realignment of Nagaland’s political landscape. In October 2025, 31 MLAs of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) were formally declared merged with the NPF under Paragraph 4(2) of the Tenth Schedule.
Speaker’s decision now awaited
With the petitions filed, the next stage of the dispute will depend on proceedings before the Nagaland Assembly Speaker. The Speaker will have to consider the arguments and applicable provisions before deciding whether the five legislators are liable for disqualification.
The NPP disqualification case could therefore become an important test of how party switches are handled in the state, particularly when legislators claim protection under the merger provisions of the Tenth Schedule.
For the NPP, the petitions are an effort to challenge the five-member switch and protect the party’s position after losing its elected legislators. For the NPF, the move has further consolidated its numbers in the Assembly. The Speaker’s eventual decision will determine the immediate constitutional status of the five MLAs and could shape the political debate in Nagaland in the months ahead.
The NPP disqualification proceedings have thus added another layer to Nagaland’s rapidly changing political landscape. As the Assembly examines the petitions, attention will remain focused on the interpretation of the anti-defection law and whether the October 1 switch satisfies the constitutional requirements for a valid merger.
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