Kohima, August 9: The Five-Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy (CORRP) in Nagaland has announced it will boycott all state government functions, including the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, in protest against the composition of the commission set up to review the state’s reservation policy.

The decision followed a three-hour closed-door meeting in Kohima between CORRP and the apex tribal bodies of the Angami, Ao, Lotha, Rengma, and Sema communities.

Addressing the media, CORRP convener Tesinlo Semy said that while the committee welcomed the move to review the policy, it “strongly opposes” the inclusion of civil society organisations (CSOs) in the panel, arguing that it compromises the commission’s independence and impartiality. CORRP is demanding that the review body consist solely of serving or retired government officials for an unbiased assessment.

Member secretary GK Zhimomi said CORRP never sought the commission but accepted it as the outcome of a June 3 meeting with the state government, led by Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton. He rejected recent remarks by a minister alleging that the five advanced tribes hold 64% of government jobs, calling the figures “wildly imaginary” and asserting that CORRP has its own data, which will be released in due course.

Zhimomi added that consultations with communities benefiting from the backwards quota should be conducted by the government-appointed commission, and warned that CORRP would seek suspension of the current reservation policy if its implementation is tied to the national census outcome.

The committee stressed that its move was “not a boycott, but a conscious decision of non-participation.” The push for policy review gained momentum after CORRP submitted a joint memorandum to the state government, arguing that the reservation policy introduced in 1977 no longer reflects present-day socio-economic and educational realities.