Nagaland: FNTA Bill gets Presidential assent; implementation notification awaited

Morung Express NewsDimapur | October 25President Droupadi Murmu has granted assent to the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill, 2026, marking a key step towards establishing the proposed authority for six eastern districts of Nagaland.Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio announced the development in a post on X on October 25, thanking the President and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for facilitating the process. The Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) unanimously passed the Bill on September 3.The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the FNTA was signed on February 5, 2026, by the Governments of India and Nagaland and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO).Thereafter, a Bill was introduced in the Assembly on March 26 but was subsequently withdrawn after the Ministry of Home Affairs, ENPO and the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) sought further clarity on certain provisions.The earlier version was withdrawn, and Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton introduced a revised Bill on September 1, which was unanimously passed by the Assembly two days later.As per Section 1 (3) of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority Act, 2026 will come into force on a date appointed by the State Government through a notification in the Official Gazette.It extends to the Frontier Nagaland Territory comprising the six districts of Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak, and Shamator of the State of Nagaland.