The All Tribal Rights Protection Forum Manipur (ATRPFM) has served an ultimatum to the chief minister and governor of Manipur to issue a notification to conduct the ADC elections before January 5, 2021, failing which it warned to impose bandh along National Highways from January 6, 2021, in collaboration with tribal CVOs and the public.
The forum warned to call the bandh from 7 am of January 6, 2021, for 48 hours and asked the government to alternatively extend the term of office of the ADCs till the actual election is conducted.
In the ultimatum, the forum recounted that the term of office of the ADC members had expired in May 2020 as per the Section 13 of the Act, 1971 and the notification for election or reconstitution of ADCs will be issued before the expiry of the term. However, the state government extended the term till November 30, 2020, without a reasonable ground of administrative difficulties.
While the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) recommended for conducting the election on time and not to extend the term further, the state government issued a supersession order without taking into consideration the views and recommendation of HAC, the forum stated..
The High Court of Manipur had passed an order in W.P(C) No.647 of 2020 thereby putting the impugned order dated 30-11-2020 of supersession in suspension on the ground that the State Government issued the impugned order in total disregard and disobedience of the court order of November 27, 2020, it said.
It urged the governor to intervene and take prompt necessary action and direct the State Government and the department concerned to comply with the court’s order and set aside the impugned order dated November 30, 2020.
It further appealed to the governor to direct the state government to follow the order issued by Principal Secretary (Tribal Affairs, Hills, SC), the government of Manipur on May 05, 2015, as binding precedents/ conventions. The order mandated the Chairmen of the ADCs to continue and serve as the caretaker chairmen during the conduct and till the completion of ADC elections 2015.
It also appealed to make the Chairmen of ADCs continue as the Caretaker Chairmen during the suspension period and restore their positions as Joint Signatories of the Bank Account for financial transactions.