The Nagaland Tribal Area Range & Village Council Act ,1966

NAGALAND ACT 3 OF 1966 
[THE NAGALAND TRIBAL, AREA, RANGE AND VILLAGE COUNCILS 

ACT, 1966.] 
Received the assent of the Governor on the 8th April, 1966. 

[Published in the Nagaland Gazette-Extraordinary, Dated 19th April, 1966] 
  An Act to establish Tribal, Area, Range and Village 
  Councils in the districts of Kohima and Mokokchung 
  and to regulate their duties and functions. 
 Preamble.- WHEREAS is expedient to consolidate the laws for the constitution of 
Tribal, Area, Range and Village Councils in Kohima and Mokokchung districts and their 
duties and functions; 
 It is hereby enacted in the Seventeenth Year of the Republic of India, as follows: - 
 Short title, extent and commencement.- 1. (1) This Act may be called the Nagaland 
Tribal, Area, Range and Village Councils Act, 1966. 
 (2) It extents to Kohima and Mokokchung districts in Nagaland. 
 (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification 
in the Official Gazette, appoint. 
 Definitions.- 2. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or 
context; 

(a) “area council” means the Area Council constituted for the Dimapur area in 
Kohima district; 

(b) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 
(c) “recognized range council” means the Range Councils recognized by the 

Government as such and so notified in the Official Gazette; 
(d) “tribal council” means the Tribal Councils constituted for each Tribe in Kohima 

and Mokokchung districts; and  
(e) “village council” means the Village Councils constituted for one or more villages 

in Kohima and Mokokchung districts. 
Constitution of Tribal, Area, Range & Village Councils. – 3. With effect from such 

date as the Sate Government of Nagaland may, by  notification, in this behalf specify, there 
shall be established: - 

(a) a Tribal Council for each tribe; 
(b) an Area Council for the Dimapur area in Kohima district; 



(c) a Range Council wherever there may be a recognized range, in the districts of 
Kohima and Mokokchung; 

(d) a Village Council for one or more villages in the districts of Kohima and 
Mokokchung, as may be deemed necessary by the Deputy Commissioners of these 
districts. 

Duties and Functions of Tribal, Area, Range and Village Councils.- 4. A Tribal 
Council, an Area Council, a Range Council and a Village Council shall discuss and 
recommend schemes relating to welfare and community development at the tribal, area, range 
or village level, as the case may be, and shall also assist the local authorities in matters 
relating to all development and other works and settlement of disputes, as may be prescribed 
and allotted to it, from time to time by the State Government. 

Power to make rules.- 5. (1) The State Government may, by notification in the 
Official Gazette, make rules for the constitution of Tribal, Area, Range and Village Councils 
in consultation with the existing Tribal Councils or other representative tribal organizations 
and such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters: 

(a) the composition of the Tribal, Area, Range or Village Councils and the allocation 
of seats therein and the manner in which the members of the Councils shall be 
elected; 

(b) dissolution of a Tribal, Area, Range or Village Council and its                re-
composition; 

(c) the delimitation of the territorial constituencies for purpose of elections to these 
councils; 

(d) the qualification for voting at such an election and preparation of Electoral Rolls 
therefore; 

(e) the qualification for being elected at such election as member of such Councils; 
(f) the term of office of, and salaries and allowance if any, to be paid to members of 

such Councils; 
(g) any other matter relating or connected with election or nomination to such 

Councils; 
(h) the procedure and conduct of business in the Councils; 
(i) the appointment of officers and staff of the Councils and their conditions of 

services; 
(j) the powers exercisable by the said Councils in dispute involving customary laws; 

and 



(k) any other matter in respect of which it is necessary to make rules for the 
constitution and proper functioning of the Councils. 

(2) Every rule made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, 
before the Nagaland Legislative Assembly while it is in session for a total period of seven 
days, which may be comprised in one session or in two successive sessions, and if, before the 
expiry of the session immediately following the Nagaland Legislative Assembly agree in 
making any modification in the rule or the Nagaland Legislative Assembly agree that the rule 
should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of 
no effect as the case may be; so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be 
without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.