Nagaland Governor PB Acharya on Wednesday dismissed the five-month-old government of Liezietsu after he failed to prove his majority in the Assembly, a Raj Bhavan official said.

Acharya dismissed the government under Clause (I) of Article 164 of the Constitution after receiving a letter from Assembly Speaker Imtiwapang Aier on Liezietsu's failure to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly.

The Governor has invited veteran Naga People's Front (NPF) legislator TR Zeliang to form a new government. Zeliang has been told to prove his majority on the floor of the House on or before July 22.

This is the second time the 65-year-old Zeliang will be the Chief Minister after he resigned following violent protest by tribal groups opposed to his move to hold civic polls with 33 per cent seats reserved for women. Liezietsu, 80, was made to come out of retirement from electoral politics to take over as Chief Minister following Zeliang's resignation.

Speaker Aier, who adjourned the House sine die after the vote, said the motion to prove the majority of the Chief Minister could not be taken up as Liezietsu was not present. In the 60-member Assembly, one seat is vacant. The ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland coalition has 47 NPF legislators, four Bharatiya Janata Party members and eight Independents. The rebellion within the ruling coalition erupted when a section of the NPF accused Liezietsu of indulging in "nepotism" by appointing his son Khriehu Liezietsu as his advisor with cabinet status.