Nagaland is set to hold elections for 60 Assembly seats in a single phase on 27 February and the counting of votes will take place on March 2. Over 13 lakh people are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the electoral fate of 183 candidates, including four women and 19 independents, in 59 out of a total of 60 seats. Since Nagaland got its statehood in 1963, it is yet to get a woman MLA in the 60-member House. Not that women has not contested for election but they have never been voted to power. This year, the four women candidates who are running for the elections are Hekani Jakhalu of NDPP, Rosy Thomson of Congress, Salhoutuonuo Kruse of NDPP and Kahuli Sema of BJP. TRENDING STORIES See All Premium Russian ship docks with International Space Station to . . . Premium This portable Made in India machine can test different . . . Premium Mann Ki Baat: PM to address 98th edition today; check t . . . Premium Complete list of bank holidays in March 2023: Plan your . . . Women’s representation is a contentious issue in Nagaland. In 2017, two persons were killed in clashes during bands called by tribal bodies opposed to Urban Local Body election. These organisations were opposing the polls with 33 percent reservation for women, stating that it infringes on the special rights for Nagaland guaranteed by Article 371(A) of the Constitution. According to Article 371(A), unless the state Assembly makes a resolution approving it, no act of Parliament that interferes with Naga customary laws or social and religious customs will apply to Nagaland. However, in April 2022, the Nagaland government had told the Supreme court that the will implement 33 percent reservation for women in civic bodies. The state has had only one woman, Rano M. Shaiza, back in 1977 who was elected to the Lok Sabha. In 2022, S Phangnon Konyak was elected as the BJP Rajya Sabha member from Nagaland and became the first woman to get a seat in the Upper House. In this male-dominated tribal society, vocal women’s rights organisations had little role to play in Nagaland’s early modern history. For a society dominated by the idea of a tribe, a Naga woman from any tribe is not entitled to inherit ancestral land or property. She may construct a house or buy some land, but, after her marriage, all those property will belong to her parents or brothers. If a married couple decides to separate or divorce, the children and property belong to the husband. A woman has no rights over her biological children or her property. Will this year be a change for women candidates in Nagaland? While addressing an election meeting for NDPP candidate Salhoutuonuo Kruse in Western Angami, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "So many years have gone by, but till today we do not have a woman legislator in the Nagaland Assembly. However, this time a historical decision has been taken. Time has come where we not talk only of gender equality and women empowerment but give responsibility to our women legislators to lead the destiny of the state in the days to come. " Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also stressed the need for people of the state to change their mindset that Naga women cannot be in decision-making bodies. Neiphiu Rio said that women have been given tickets based on demand from the grassroots. The practice of a patriarchal society are followed even after the state has good number of literacy rate. If you see the literacy rate of the state, as per the Census data, literacy rate in Nagaland as per 2023 has seen upward trend and is 79. 55 percent as per latest population census of which male literacy stands at 82. 75 percent while that of female literacy is at 76. 11 percent. In 2001, literacy rate in Nagaland stood at 66. 59 percent of which male and female were 71. 16 percent and 61. 46 percent literate respectively. MORE FROM THIS SECTION See All Premium Premium This portable Made in India machine can test different . . . Premium Premium Mann Ki Baat: PM to address 98th edition today; check t . . . Premium Premium Complete list of bank holidays in March 2023: Plan your . . . Premium Premium Shashi Tharoor criticises Congress for its silence on a . . . Who are the four women candidates for poll this year? . The four women candidates are Hekani Jakhalu of NDPP from the Dimapur-III seat, Rosy Thomson of Congress from Tening constituency, Salhoutuonuo Kruse of NDPP from Western Angami and Kahuli Sema of BJP from Atoizu constituency. Kahuli Sema recently retired as the engineer-in-chief of the state Public Works Department (PWD). She will contest from the Atoizu seat in Zunheboto district. The Congress candidate Rosy Thomson is BA Graduate from North Eastern Hill University, Meghalaya in 1988. The 58 year old has been associated with the party for more than two decades. Salhuotuonuo Kruse who is contesting from Western Angami said that the elections will ensure gender equality and women empowerment. She shared her vision for infrastructure development, women empowerment , skill development to improve the quality of life of the people. Hekani Kense is a US educated lawyer turned social entrepreneur and founder of YouthNet. She has also got Nari Shakti Puraskar award from the President of India at Rastrapati Bhavan on International Women’s Day. Speaking about Dimapur III seat, Hekani Jakhalu in her manifesto has shared a vision for Youth Development, women empowerment, minority rights, and model constituency. Key numbers for Nagaland Assembly election 2023: The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and BJP are contesting the polls on a 40:20 seat-sharing basis. Earlier in 2018, The NDPP and the BJP had contested with a 40:20 seat-sharing formula and won 18 and 12 seats respectively to form the government. They were supported by two MLAs of the National Peoples’ Party (NPP), one JD(U) MLA and an independent This year, the number of electors in the State stands at 13,17,632, out of which 661489 are male electors, and 656143 are female. The candidates vying for the State polls include 20 from BJP, CPI (1), INC (23), NCP (12), NPP (12), NDPP (40), NPF (22), RPP (1), JD (U) (7), LJP (Ram Vilas) (15), RPI (Athawale) (9), RJD (3), and Independent (19). Catch all the Business News , Market News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates. More Less OPEN IN APP.