'Directly affected villages'
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, September 15 2017:
In connection with the formation of the 'Adhoc Committee' in connection with the new districts creation issue during the September 14 consultative meeting at Kanglatongbi, the organisers made it clear today that the Committee was formed by the representatives of the “directly affected” villages or areas included in the "said 5 new districts of the Hill Areas".
They also said that it was a unanimous decision made of their "own volition for further consultative processes and is not related with the two resource persons in whatsoever manner" .
Meanwhile, Dr Vareso Ningshen, one of the resource persons of the event, actually said that the Constitution of India takes cognizance of legal pluralism.
Dr Vareso Ningshe also said that in Assam, paragraph 1(3) of Sixth Schedule empowers the Governor to create new autonomous districts in the Scheduled areas.
“The tribals of Manipur have long been demanding the extension of Sixth Schedule in the hill areas but to no avail”, according to Dr Vareso Ningshen.
"Instead, there is the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971 section 3(2)(d)r/w section 3(3) of the Act which empowers the Governor to create new autonomous districts in the Hill Areas," he added .
According to him, the creation of "5 new districts of the Hill Areas" on December 8, 2016 by the previous Government outside the purview of this standing law (MHADC Act, 1971) is illegal.
"It is also unconstitutional in as much as the principles of law in Article 371 C of the Constitution r/w Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) order, 1972 are not duly obliged by the State," he added.