Imphal, April 15 2010: Despite the State Cabinet decision to hold the elections of the Autonomous (Hill) District Councils in two phases, i.e.on May 17 and 24 and though the date of issueing the notification for the first phase polling as April 15 had been announced, the authority could not issue the notification today.

Principal Secretary, Tribal Development, LP Golmei told the Hueiyen Lanpao this evening that the issuing authority did not get any instruction from the government to issue the notification.

That is the reason why the notification could not be issued.

However, preparations are completed for holding the election as scheduled, he said.

Meanwhile, a reliable source informed this newspaper that Chief Minister O Ibobi chaired a special meeting of the Cabinet Ministers which discussed whether to conduct the ADC elections or not this evening.

Yet the source couldn't revealed what decision was taken at the meeting.

It is not yet known whether the election notification would be issued in the next few days.

Another source said that though the ADC elections are held and ADCs are set up, there is nothing in the Act that empoweres the Councils.

It would be necessary to get approvalfrom the government first before sanctioning and executing a work.

The Deputy Commissioners (DCs) would be more powerful than those elected.

Therefore, the NGOs and CSOs based in the hill districts are presently on agitation demanding amendment to the Autonomous (Hills) District Council Act, 2008.Until and unless the Act is amended, the tribal bodies are not going to withdraw their agitations.

This was noted during the Ministers' meeting, the source said.