Nagaland was on Thursday night brought under central rule with President Pratibha Patil [Images] putting her stamp of approval on the recommendation of the Union Cabinet in this regard.

The President, who was handed over the recommendation on Wednesday, signed the proclamation on Thursday evening, home ministry sources said.

Patil, who is at present in Hyderabad, had received the decision of the cabinet taken at its unscheduled meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] on January 1.

The cabinet meeting was convened at a short notice to discuss the political situation in Nagaland against the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party-backed Democratic Alliance winning a controversial no-confidence motion in December.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio survived the trial of strength on the floor of the assembly on December 13 when it was defeated 23-19 in the 60-member House after the speaker barred three independents from taking part in voting and held that the votes of nine dissident ruling NPF members were invalid.

Nagaland was scheduled to go to polls in February.