The Chairmen’s Forum of six Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) strongly condemned the Manipur government for dissolving the ADCs before the date of election for autonomous district councils have been announced.
In a press conference held in Imphal on Thursday, coordinator of ‘Chairmen's Forum of 6 ADCs’ Yaronsho Ngalung said that the present ADC had completed its five years tenure and the election was due in June. However, after a resolution taken by the state cabinet in March, the term was extended for six months and can be extended up to one year, he said. After the extension, the term was completed on November 30, he added.
As per the rules, the date of election has to be announced before the term comes to an end but the authority concerned has not declared the date yet, he said.
Ngalung said instead of taking up steps to conduct elections to the council, an order was issued on November 30, notifying the power of six ADCs will be superseded by the governor. The order stated that the respective deputy commissioners are appointed to exercise all powers and duties conferred and imposed upon the councils, he added.
The order stated, “As the present term of the Autonomous District Councils expires on November 30, the administration of district councils cannot be carried out in accordance with the provision of Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act 1971)”.
While condemning the order, Ngalung asserted that the previous government had maintained a rule to elect the incumbent chairman as caretaker of ADC during the intervening period of holding elections.
“Why the present government cannot exercise the said rule instead of directly transferring the powers and duties to the deputy commissioners?” he questioned. The chairmen of ADCs have also urged the additional chief secretary on November 23 to extend the present term of ADCs for the remaining six months as another six months were extended before.
The council co-ordinator also condemned the department of Tribal Affairs and Hill for not taking up necessary steps to hold election of six ADCs.
Appealing to the authority concerned to announce the date of election for ADCs, he said ADCs is a local self-government which is one of the important tiers of democratic form of government.
The ADCs believe in a democratic form of government and as such, they would be happy if the date of election was announced before transferring the power to the deputy commissioners concerned, he added.
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