Constitutional offices · verified 3 September 2026
Nand Kishore Yadav became the 23rd Governor on 13 March 2026. Neiphiu Rio is Chief Minister.
State dossier 19 · Nagaland
Nagaland since 1963.
A source-led record of State formation, Article 371A, constitutional government, elections, Naga political negotiations, people, economy, customary institutions, forests and accountability.
Jurisdiction rule: State institutions, village councils, customary bodies, tribal organisations and negotiating groups have distinct authority. A ceasefire, framework agreement, political demand and final settlement are never treated as the same event.
60Assembly constituencies
1Lok Sabha constituency
1,978,502Census 2011 population
59ST-reserved Assembly seats
Constitutional journey
The Naga Hills–Tuensang Area became India’s sixteenth State with special constitutional safeguards.
1957Naga Hills–Tuensang Area established
JUL 1960Sixteen-Point Agreement reached with Naga People’s Convention
1 DEC 1963State of Nagaland inaugurated
ARTICLE 371ASpecial constitutional protections for specified customary, social and land matters
Chief Ministers and constitutional administration
| Chief Minister / administration | Period | Political frame |
|---|---|---|
| P. Shilu Ao; T. N. Angami | 1963–1969 | Naga Nationalist Organisation |
| Hokishe Sema | 1969–1974; 1986–1988 | NNO, later Congress |
| Vizol Angami | 1974–1975; 1977–1980 | United Democratic Front |
| President’s Rule | 1975–1977; 1988–1989 | Article 356 |
| S. C. Jamir | 1980; 1982–1986; 1989–1990; 1993–2003 | United Democratic Front / INC |
| John Bosco Jasokie | 1980–1982 | Naga National Democratic Party |
| K. L. Chishi; Vamuzo | 1990–1992 | Congress, then Nagaland People’s Council |
| Neiphiu Rio | 2003–2014; 2018–present | NPF, then NDPP-led coalitions |
| T. R. Zeliang; Shürhozelie Liezietsu | 2014–2018 | NPF-led governments |
Governor and current ministry
Constitutional particularity
Article 371A protects specified Naga religious or social practices, customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving customary law, and ownership and transfer of land and resources unless the Assembly resolves otherwise. The Governor also has a defined special responsibility concerning law and order.
Assembly elections and parties
| Election era | Mandate | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1964–1987 | NNO, UDF and Congress-led governments | Party labels and coalitions changed repeatedly. |
| 1989–1998 | Congress and regional competition | S. C. Jamir became the dominant Chief Minister. |
| 2003–2013 | NPF-led Democratic Alliance | Neiphiu Rio’s first three terms. |
| 2018 | NPF 26; NDPP 18; BJP 12; others 4 | NDPP–BJP coalition formed government. |
| 2023 | NDPP 25; BJP 12; NCP 7; NPP 5; others 11 | NDPP–BJP returned; two women were elected to the Assembly for the first time. |
Nagaland elects 60 MLAs; 59 seats are ST-reserved. Its single Lok Sabha constituency is not reserved.
People, economy and public finance
| Measure | Figure / frame | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,978,502 | Census 2011 |
| Area | 16,579 km² | Government geography |
| Population change, 2001–2011 | −0.58% | Census series; enumeration and migration context matters |
| Economic frame | Public services, agriculture, construction, trade, transport and small industry | Formal GSDP excludes some subsistence activity |
Budget estimates, revised estimates and audited outturns remain separate. Connectivity, border trade, jhum agriculture and urban growth require district and dated evidence.
Peace process, culture and nature
Political negotiations
The 1964 ceasefire, later agreements, NSCN ceasefires, the 2015 Framework Agreement and continuing talks are distinct records. Confidential provisions are not inferred from political statements.
Customary institutions
Naga communities have distinct languages, customary systems and village institutions. Statewide summaries do not erase differences among tribes or override documented local authority.
Forests and wildlife
Community-conserved forests, Intanki National Park, Fakim and Puliebadze areas, and the Amur falcon migration require site-specific evidence. Forest cover is not identical to legally notified forest.
Public participation
Women’s representation, urban local-body reservations, tribal bodies and civil-society interventions are recorded through laws, court orders, election records and dated organisational statements.
Audits and public accountability
CAG State Finances, compliance, performance and local-body reports are tied to audited periods and government replies. Roads, power, public enterprises, grants and local institutions require report-level evidence.
A political claim, ceasefire allegation, audit observation, criminal charge and judicial finding are separate statuses.
Source ledger
Formation and Constitution: Parliament, India Code, agreements and Lok Bhavan · offices: State portal, Assembly and CMO · elections: ECI · population: Census India · economy: Finance, DES, RBI and CAG · peace and rights: MHA, parliamentary, court and agreement records · nature: Forest Department and MoEFCC. Checked 3 September 2026.