Tribal chiefs decry Village Authorities Act amendment
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 26 2011:
The All Tribal Chiefs' Association, Manipur has decried the alleged unmandated amendment of the Sub-Section (4) of Section 3 of the Manipur (Village Authorities in the Hills) Act 1956 which discriminated the legitimate rights of the traditional chieftainship in the hills areas.
The said amendment has posed a serious threat to the age old tribal customary practices which have been carried down since time immemorial, the chiefs' association asserted in a press release.
The original Act of 1956 implies the rights of Khullakpa/Chief as Ex-officio chairman of the particular village concerned while the new law prescribed that the chairman of the village shall be selected from among the elected members themselves.
It urged the Government of Manipur to review the amendment of the said Sub-Section (4) of Section of the Village Authorities Act 2010 lest the people shall be constrained to launch a series of agitation.