Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, January 29 2010:
The government of Manipur has submitted a tentative programme for holding of elections to the Autonomous District Councils (ADC) to the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench sometimes back, a copy of which has been made available to NNN by the Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF) today.
After patient hearings in the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench the tentative programme has been submitted by the state government to the Court (double bench) before Justice T.NK Singh and Justice K.Meruno, said IDF chief Ngachonmi Chamroy.
In the tentative programme, April 21, 2010 has been mentioned as 'date of polling' for the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).
The development was witnessed following a writ petition (PIL) filed by IDF president Ngachonmi Chamroy in the Gauhati High Court last year as to why elections to the ADCs have not been conducted for the last 20 years.
Following the development an order by Justice K Meruno and Justice T.NK Singh said, "Heard Mr N.Kotishwar Singh, learned Advocate General (A.G) Manipur appearing for the State respondents who submits at the Bar that the Government of Manipur had already taken steps for holding elections to the Autonomous District Councils and the tentative programme for holding the district council elections had already been prepared by the state government.
A copy of the tentative programme is also placed before this Court by the learned Advocate General, Manipur and it has been placed in the record of this writ petition.
In these circumstances, the State respondents are granted one month's time to file affidavit-in-opposition".
Mentionably, Ngachonmi Chamroy is the client of advocate R Daniel.
Meanwhile, the IDF has expressed its appreciation to the government of Manipur for its initiative to 'encourage the grass-root democracy'.
"We sincerely hope that the government will implement the tentative programme in letter and spirit," said IDF president Ngachonmi Chamroy.