Lok Bhavan curbs take effect as NYM calls off Kohima sit-in

KOHIMA – The Kohima district administration has banned unauthorised gatherings, rallies and demonstrations around Lok Bhavan from Wednesday, 28 October 2026, the same day the Naga Youth Movement (NYM) had planned to assemble outside the Governor’s residence. The NYM has since called off the programme.

District Magistrate B. Henok Buchem issued the prohibitory order on Tuesday under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. It declares Lok Bhavan and its adjoining areas a “highly sensitive security zone” and will stay in force “until modified, extended, or withdrawn by the competent authority.”

What the order covers

The notified zone is bounded by National Highway-2 from Box Cutting Junction to Classic Island, and by Ladies Mile Road from Classic Island back to Box Cutting. The stretch takes in one of the busiest sections of the highway through the state capital.

Within the zone, the order:

• bars any assembly of people without prior permission of the competent authority;
• prohibits unauthorised meetings, processions, demonstrations and rallies, and any activity that “compromises security or disrupts public order”;
• forbids anyone from obstructing security personnel, government officials, emergency services or others authorised to enter the area; and
• requires everyone in the area to follow lawful directions from district and police authorities.

Magistrates, security personnel on duty, authorised officials and emergency services are exempt. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Kohima, and the magistrates have been told to enforce the order strictly, and violators face prosecution.

The district magistrate said “credible information and materials placed on record” indicated that unauthorised gatherings near Lok Bhavan could obstruct security personnel, interfere with official duties and cause a breach of peace. The order does not name any organisation or event.

NYM steps back

The NYM, which also goes by “Fed Up Nagas”, had called on the public to gather at Lok Bhavan on Wednesday to press for time-bound implementation of the 2015 Framework Agreement and the 2017 Agreed Position, the two documents signed between the Government of India and Naga political groups.

On Tuesday, the movement said it had called off what it described as a “democratic resentment” programme. In a message carried by Aloto Naga TV, a speaker for the NYM said the decision followed an internal assessment, and that the group would return “when the right time comes.”

The movement apologised for any mistakes on its part, thanked those who had backed it from the start, and appealed to Naga leaders, elders and civil society organisations to unite and push for an early political solution. Its members, it said, were “for peace” and “for solution“, and the initiative was not for the NYM alone but for the Naga people as a whole.

The NYM also voiced concern at opposition to its initiative and asked that young Nagas be allowed to take part in the effort, saying their future should not remain uncertain because of prolonged delays in the peace process.

The announcement came after three major tribal youth bodies, the Angami Youth Organisation, the Chakhesang Youth Front and the Pochury Youth Organisation, told members to stay away from the gathering. Read: Three youth bodies shun Naga Youth Movement Kohima dharna

Watch the NYM’s message (in Nagamese):

What Section 163 allows

Section 163 of the BNSS replaced the familiar Section 144 of the old Code of Criminal Procedure in July 2024. It lets a district magistrate issue urgent orders to prevent obstruction, danger to human life or a disturbance of public tranquillity.

Under the law, an order made by a magistrate cannot stay in force for more than two months unless the state government extends it, for up to six months in all. Disobeying such an order is an offence under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

This means the open-ended wording in Tuesday’s order will be subject to that statutory limit. The order itself notes that it is issued “subject to the statutory requirements and applicable law.”

What happens next

With the NYM programme called off, the curbs are likely to be felt mainly by commuters and residents along NH-2 and Ladies Mile Road, who may face tighter security checks near Lok Bhavan. Any group wishing to hold a gathering in the zone will need permission from the district administration.

Lok Bhavan, formerly known as Raj Bhavan, is the official residence of the Governor of Nagaland.