Nagaland CM Shurhozelie Liezietsu hints at quitting as Guv Acharya directs him to seek trust vote

Nagaland chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu has hinted at quitting before taking floor test on Wednesday. A special session has been convened of the state assembly after the Gauhati High Court on Tuesday dismissed his plea to stay the Governor PB Acharya’s directive to him to seek a trust vote.

Earlier in the day, Acharya directed Speaker Imtiwapang to summon an emergent special session of the state assembly at 9.30 am for the chief minister, who is facing a rebellion from his party MLAs, to seek the confidence vote.

Justice L M Jamir, judge of Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court, had dismissed a writ petition filed by Liezietsu, pleading for a stay on the governor's directive to him to seek a vote of confidence in the assembly by July 15.

 The court while stating there was no merit in the petition vacated its interim order staying the directive and left the matter to the discretion of the governor.

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This court is of the considered opinion that the governor had taken the right decision to ask the petitioner (Liezietsu) to seek a vote of confidence in the floor of the House to see which out of the two contesting claimants of chief ministership has a majority in the House, the court observed.