The Confederation of Nagaland Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) has declined government appeals to call off its planned “voluntary indefinite shutter down,” announcing its resolve to proceed with the protest starting May 19, 2025.
According to reports so far, nine District Chambers of Commerce & Industries (DCCIs)– Dimapur, Chümoukedima, Niuland, Zunheboto, Meluri, Phek, Wokha, Peren, and Tseminyu have also decided to join the “indefinite voluntary business shutdown”.
Meanwhile, addressing the media here on Sunday at Hotel Saramati, CNCCI president Dr Khekugha Muru announced the decision to proceed with its voluntary shutter down.
However, the trade body said it was still open to calling off the shutter down provided the state government accedes to the demand within a time-frame. He also informed that a CNCCI delegation met KG Kenye, Parliamentary Affairs and Power minister, who is also the state government spokesperson on May 16, to discuss the matter. He said the delegation apprised him of the long-standing demands of the business community.
Muru said the minister was sympathetic to the demand and admitted that they were “genuine”, and that he would take it up for discussion with chief minister. Muru appreciated Kenye’s effort and the state government’s willingness to find an amicable solution, and also stated that CNCCI had received a request from the government to keep the shutter down in abeyance.
However, according to Muru, the shutter down cannot be called off as it would be unjustified for the nine DCCIs to do so without any timeframe from the government. He also reiterated that the indefinite protest would be “voluntary, peaceful, and a democratic expression of discontent”.
It may be mentioned that the state cabinet meeting held on April 30, 2025 mandated that one representative from the respective DCCIs be included as a special invitee to the meetings of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) whenever matters relating to price regulations, availability of essential commodities, etc, were taken up for discussions or wherever it was deemed appropriate to invite, but without according the right to vote.
Muru claimed that the CNCCI for the past four years been mediating between the government and nine DCCIs to address their demands and bring an amicable solution.
He, however, regretted that the effort had not borne fruit as per expectation, and hence CNCCI had given the responsibility of pursuing the means and course of action to the DCCIs, adding that trade body could not do more to stop the district chambers to go ahead with the shutter down.
Stating that the confederation was open to dialogue, he expressed readiness to suspend the protest at any time if the state government came up with a reasonable timeframe to address their concerns.
Refuting the claim of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs adviser Zhaleo Rio that business community members were already represented in Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC), Kohima MC, and Mokokchung MC, Muru clarified that no individual currently represented the business community in the municipal bodies.
He insisted that anyone representing the business community should be a consensus member of the respective DCCIs, adding that even if someone was a businessman but not part of the DCCI, he or she could not talk on behalf of the DCCIs.
On whether adding more nominees to local bodies would violate the Nagaland Municipal Act (NMA) and lead to legal complications, with the state government already offering special invitees to the DCCIs, Muru replied that the DCCIs had already rejected the government’s offer to appoint their members as special invitees.
He stated that the ULBs were local government bodies meant to serve justice, adding that increasing the number of business representatives should not be an issue if it helped improve the system.
He pointed out that the original ULB Bill provided for a government nominee ratio of 1:5, which was later revised to 1:3 post-ULB elections. “So if the government is willing, what harm is there in including one or two more nominees from the business community?” he questioned.
He clarified that the CNCCI was not against the state government or the ULBs, adding that they wanted to be a part of the system to help the ULBs safeguard consumers and businessmen by working in the system.
As most decisions in the ULBs pertained to business and trade, he maintained that if there was no representative from the business community, consumers would be most affected.
Muru also criticised the department concerned and chief secretary for allegedly failing to effectively communicate the business community’s concerns to the state government, leading to the present impasse.
Responding to the recent appeal from the Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) urging CNCCI to reconsider the shutter down, he explained that whatever the DCCIs were doing was ultimately for the welfare of consumers and the public at large.
CNCCI treasurer Kevin Yepthomi claimed that the state government was aware of the problem, but neglected Dimapur. “If they don’t want to give, then don’t give to any one, we have no issue with it,” he stated.
When contacted, Naga Council Dimapur president Etsungmomo Kikon stated that if the shutter down is to continue, it should be carried out purely on a voluntary basis, without any form of coercion or disruption of public order.
DCCI, CCC&TA, WDCCI voluntary shutter down
Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), Chümoukedima Chamber of Commerce & Trade Association (CCC&TA) and Wokha District Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WDCCI) have announced its decision to go ahead with the voluntary indefinite shutter down from Monday to protest against the state government for not complying the demand of CNCCI to accommodate a representative (nominee) from the DCCIs in ULBs.
DCCI: In a press note, DCCI, in this regard, earnestly requested all shops and business estab-lishments in Dimapur to cooperate and observe the shutter down in solidarity. The trade body said it would sincerely appreciate their support and understanding.
CCC&TA: In a press note, CCC&TA said that being one of the aggrieved chambers, it had unanimously decided in its executive meeting to go ahead with the shutter down along with oth-er districts.
Mentioning that the shutter down would be completely democratic with persuasion, without co-ercion and voluntary in nature, the association claimed that the agitation was a collective demo-cratic exercise of the business bodies, appealing that justice be served to the people, and not against the government or any individual concerned.
CCC&TA appealed all business establishments and consumers of Chümoukedima town to coop-erate and bear the inconvenience caused due to shutter down. The association clarified that the agitation was purely voluntary in nature, adding that medical stores, gas station, educational in-stitutions, banks, government offices, vehicular movement (government and private) were ex-empted from the purview of the shut down.
WDCCI: Wokha District Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Vungathung C Murry, general secretary Z Ponathung Kikon and press & media secretary Thunglamo Odyuo in a press release stated that the decisive action was in pursuance to the demand put forth to the state gov-ernment by the business community for nominee in the ULBs.
Further, they said the state government’s decision to categorically deny some DCCIs, including WDCCI, in the nomination process had led to a serious concern within the business community.
They reiterated that the protest was not driven by confrontation, but by a principled commitment to justice, fair representation and structural equity within governance frameworks. They said ab-sence of business representation in the local self-government was a gross oversight and a denial of the stakeholders’ participatory rights.
Despite a reasonable two-week timeframe for redressal, they lamented that the state government willfully and consistently failed to address the long-standing and legitimate demand of the busi-ness community, thereby compelling the DCCIs across nine districts to adopt this form of demo-cratic protest as a last resort.
WDCCI said it stood firm and committed in solidarity with the clarion call made by the CNCCI in upholding the rights, dignity and democratic representation of the trade bodies.
They urged all stakeholders, including the general public, consumers and civil society organisa-tions, to lend their understanding and unwavering support during this critical phase. They clari-fied that the collective movement was for the larger good of economic fairness and inclusive de-velopment.
MDCCI: Meluri District Chamber of Commerce & Industries has also announced its decision to go ahead with the voluntary shutter down. In this regard, MDCCI president Wachiitho Pojar and general secretary Sirutho Phoji have asked shops to cooperate and the public to bear with the in-convenience till the shutdown is called off after receiving positive written response from the state government.