Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, November 05 2009:
A sign of the process as well as the progress taken up by the State Government to hold elections to the Autonomous District Councils (ADC) in the five hill districts of Manipur and the Sardar Hills, is evident now with the publication of the District Council Rules (Manipur Hills).
After having had repealed the erstwhile District Council (Manipur Hills) Rules of 1972, the volumous modified Rules have been published by the State Government on October 21, 2009 .
Given this development, the wheel for conducting polls to the Autonomous District Councils in the hill districts by the State Government is moving.
It has been over 20 years now that the elections to the Autonomous District Councils of Churachandpur, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Sardar Hills have been held up by the State Government.
However, the Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF), an organisation spearheading agitation for the early polls of the district councils is not amused even with this latest development.
"After the publication of the Rules, the State Government should notify seeking public suggestions within 15 days but that has not been done," said IDF supremo Ngachonmy Chamroy to Newmai News Network while expressing his anguish .
He terms it as the lethargic attitude of the State Government for failing to invite the public suggestions which is mandatory.
"But whatever may be the case, if the State Government is serious in conducting the ADC polls, it should announce immediately the dates of the elections," asserted Chamroy.
The IDF president is apprehensive that the State Government is playing a game which he terms it as 'delay-tactics'.
"This has been the tactics of the state government how the polls to the ADCs have not been conducted in the last 20 years or so," pointed out the IDF chief.
Meanwhile, it is likely that the PIL entitled 'Ng Chamroy Vs the Government of Manipur' regarding the ADC polls is likely to be disposed by the Gauhati High Court on either November 9 or 10, according to a well placed source.