Imphal, June 8: Nine months have passed since the state Assembly passed the Manipur District Council Amendment Bill 2008. However, the state government has failed to initiate a proper schedule for the election to the District Councils of six hill districts of the state.
This prolonged delay by the state government has become a matter of big concern in the tribal communities, mainly in the hill districts, as it amounts to violation of their rights under the Constitution of India which provides for development through decentralisation of powers with elected representatives at the district level.
It may be mentioned that election to the district councils in various districts including Senapati, Sadar Hills Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel have been pending for more than a decade in the state following a resolution adopted by the Hill Areas Committee of the state Assembly held on December 20, 1990 that unless the provisions of the VIth Schedule of the Constitution of India are extended to the present District Councils of Manipur the elections to the councils would not be allowed.
It was because of this standing resolution of the Hill Areas Committee of the state Assembly that the district councils have been in abeyance and the administration of the councils have been entrusted to the concerned deputy commissioners of the districts and additional deputy commissioner in the case of Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council.
In the the meantime, due to constant pressure from the state several tribal bodies of the state the state Cabinet in its meeting held on November 4, 1996 approved the recommendation of the Hill Areas Committee for holding of elections to the autonomous district councils and constituted a ministerial committee, or Cabinet sub-committee, comprising of six Cabinet ministers to look into the matter of the autonomous district councils.
The Cabinet sub-committee in its meeting held on September 1998 decided to enact a bill called ‘Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Bill’ in place of the existing ‘Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971’ and the bill, after vetting by the law department and after obtaining concurrence of the Hill Areas Committee of Manipur legislative Assembly, was placed before the Manipur legislative Assembly during the monsoon session, 2000. The bill was passed and provided for 26 members including 24 elected members and two nominations from among the unrepresentated STs.
After this the District Council Delimitation Committee under the chairmanship of Ch Birendra (IAS) Retd was constituted to consider the delimitation process of various dirctrict councils, and the committee submitted its recommendation to the state government on October 22 last year. The same is under active consideration of the state government to bring about elections to the six autonomous district councils at the earliest.
The present situation is that due to the failure to get the final report from the Cabinet sub-committee which was formed in this regard the finalisation of holding of elections to the Autonomous District Councils has been hanging in suspension, said an officer of State Tribal Development department.
Under the circumstances, the deputy commissioners of Chandel, Churachandpur, Tamenglong, Senapati, Ukhrul and additional deputy commissioner, Kangpokpi have been empowered to act as chairmen (ex-officio chairmen) of the district councils and chief executive officers are assisting the deputy commissioners.
It may also mentioned that a sum of Rs. 8,50,00,000 has been received under plan and Rs. 47,50,32,000 under non-plan for the district councils of the state for the implementation of various development activities by the district councils in the field of education at primary level, agriculture, veterinary, medical, public works and forests.
In the meantime, the Indigenous Democratic Front has taken up steps to launch statewide campaign for decentralisation of power including autonomous district councils elections.
Source: IFP
This prolonged delay by the state government has become a matter of big concern in the tribal communities, mainly in the hill districts, as it amounts to violation of their rights under the Constitution of India which provides for development through decentralisation of powers with elected representatives at the district level.
It may be mentioned that election to the district councils in various districts including Senapati, Sadar Hills Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel have been pending for more than a decade in the state following a resolution adopted by the Hill Areas Committee of the state Assembly held on December 20, 1990 that unless the provisions of the VIth Schedule of the Constitution of India are extended to the present District Councils of Manipur the elections to the councils would not be allowed.
It was because of this standing resolution of the Hill Areas Committee of the state Assembly that the district councils have been in abeyance and the administration of the councils have been entrusted to the concerned deputy commissioners of the districts and additional deputy commissioner in the case of Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council.
In the the meantime, due to constant pressure from the state several tribal bodies of the state the state Cabinet in its meeting held on November 4, 1996 approved the recommendation of the Hill Areas Committee for holding of elections to the autonomous district councils and constituted a ministerial committee, or Cabinet sub-committee, comprising of six Cabinet ministers to look into the matter of the autonomous district councils.
The Cabinet sub-committee in its meeting held on September 1998 decided to enact a bill called ‘Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Bill’ in place of the existing ‘Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971’ and the bill, after vetting by the law department and after obtaining concurrence of the Hill Areas Committee of Manipur legislative Assembly, was placed before the Manipur legislative Assembly during the monsoon session, 2000. The bill was passed and provided for 26 members including 24 elected members and two nominations from among the unrepresentated STs.
After this the District Council Delimitation Committee under the chairmanship of Ch Birendra (IAS) Retd was constituted to consider the delimitation process of various dirctrict councils, and the committee submitted its recommendation to the state government on October 22 last year. The same is under active consideration of the state government to bring about elections to the six autonomous district councils at the earliest.
The present situation is that due to the failure to get the final report from the Cabinet sub-committee which was formed in this regard the finalisation of holding of elections to the Autonomous District Councils has been hanging in suspension, said an officer of State Tribal Development department.
Under the circumstances, the deputy commissioners of Chandel, Churachandpur, Tamenglong, Senapati, Ukhrul and additional deputy commissioner, Kangpokpi have been empowered to act as chairmen (ex-officio chairmen) of the district councils and chief executive officers are assisting the deputy commissioners.
It may also mentioned that a sum of Rs. 8,50,00,000 has been received under plan and Rs. 47,50,32,000 under non-plan for the district councils of the state for the implementation of various development activities by the district councils in the field of education at primary level, agriculture, veterinary, medical, public works and forests.
In the meantime, the Indigenous Democratic Front has taken up steps to launch statewide campaign for decentralisation of power including autonomous district councils elections.
Source: IFP
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