Imphal, November 22: State Election Authority has started making necessary preparations for holding the election of 26 urban local bodies, whose terms are near completion, in January next year simultaneously.

Informing this, a reliable source said the terms of these 26 urban local bodies are due to expire within January 23 to February 21, 2006 and it is necessary to conduct the election latest by January next year.

The urban local bodies whose term would be expired on January 23 are Oinam Nagar Panchayat, Lilong Thoubal Nagar Panchayat and Thoubal Municipal Council, those which are due to be over on January 24 are Shikhong Sekmai Nagar Panchayat and Yairipok Nagar Panchayat, those whose terms would be completed on January 25 are Kakching Municipal Council, Kakching Khunou Nagar Panchayat, Wangjing Nagar Panchayat, Sugnu Nagar Panchayat and Heirok Nagar Panchayat while on January 27, the term of Nambol Municipal Council would be over.

The dates on which the terms of other urban local councils would be expired are Kwakta Nagar Panchayat, Bishnupur Municipal Council and Moirang Municipal Council on January 29, Jiribam Municipal Council, Andro Municipal Council, Lamlai Nagar Panchayat, Samurou Nagar Panchayat, Mayang Imphal (Imphal West) Nagar Panchayat and Thongkhong Laxmi Bazar Nagar Panchayat (Imphal West) on January 30, Lamshang Nagar Panchayat (Imphal West) and Sekmai Nagar Panchayat (Imphal West) on January 31, Kumbi Nagar Panchayat and Ningthoukhong Municipal Council on February 1 and 2 respectively.

As per the rules, the normal term of every local bodies, unless they are dissolved midway, is five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and an election to constitute a municipality has to be conducted before the expiry of its duration, the source said, adding that in case the election could not be held in time, the Govt has to appoint administrators to run the local bodies concerned.

The source further disclosed that the election of the Moreh Small Town Committee has not been conducted since 1984.The term of the Imphal Municipal Council (IMC), which has the largest number of wards, would be expired on June 13 next year.

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