Kohima, March 1, 2025 – Tensions flared in Nagaland’s capital today as police job aspirants took to the streets outside the Police Headquarters in Kohima, protesting a Gauhati High Court ruling from September 2024 that nullified the appointments of 935 police constables. The demonstrators, voicing frustration and demanding justice, labeled the recruitment system corrupt and unfair.
The Gauhati High Court’s decision, delivered by Justice Devashis Baruah, struck down the appointments made by the Nagaland government between January 2018 and October 2019, citing a lack of public advertisement as a violation of constitutional norms. The ruling came in response to a writ petition filed by unemployed Naga youth in 2022, who argued that the “backdoor” appointments denied them equal opportunity. The court has since ordered the state to initiate a fresh recruitment process within six months, mandating advertisements in widely circulated local newspapers to ensure transparency.
Carrying placards with slogans such as “We want justice” and “We are Indigenous Nagas,” the protesters expressed their dismay at being sidelined by what they called a flawed system. A group of agitators submitted a memorandum to Director General of Police (DGP) Rupin Sharma, pressing for accountability and a fair shot at the jobs they had aspired to secure.
The DGP had previously announced in October 2024 that the state police would soon re-advertise the 935 constable positions, with the new process allowing affected appointees to reapply, albeit with an age relaxation but no compromise on qualifications or physical standards. However, today’s protest underscores the lingering discontent among aspirants who feel victimized by the original recruitment irregularities.
The demonstration highlights broader concerns about employment practices in Nagaland, with the protesters calling for systemic reforms to prevent such controversies in the future. As the state prepares for the court-mandated recruitment drive, authorities face mounting pressure to restore trust and ensure a level playing field for all candidates.
