Revolt against chairman in Sadar Hills ADC
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, September 18 2014:
Chairman of Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council, Kangpokpi, Haokholal Hangshing has been accused of misusing executive/administrative power by taking the law in his hand.
A dissident group led by Sadar Hills ADC vice-chairman Paojalet Touthang has said Haokholal Hangshing has no moral right to continue as the Chairman, and appealed to the Congress High Command to advise him to step down.
According to a joint press statement signed by Sadar Hills ADC vice-chairman Paojalet Touthang, executive members Bonthaolung Panmei, Lunthang Haokip and Bhumi Prasad, the three walked out of Thursday's Executive Committee meeting in protest against the manner in which Haokholal was taking the law into his hands.
It said statutory rules are 'rules' to be followed and claimed that the Chairman acted contrary to the provisions of the District Councils Act and Rules.
The statement said that all the members including the Chairman who were present at today's Executive Committee meeting were informed that a petition seeking a 'no-confidence motion' against Haokholal Hangshing had been accepted by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kangpokpi on September 12 .
The whole process for the motion of no-confidence has to be completed within a maximum period of 30 days, it said, adding in view of Rule 10 of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Rules, 1972, the Chairman cannot preside the Executive Committee meeting as the motion of no-confidence is now under time-bound process.
It said under such circumstances, the vice-chairman or any member chosen by the committee should preside the meeting.
The statement mentioned that under Section 27 (A) 3 of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971 all administrative functions of the District Council as may be specified are vested in the Executive Committee, and that the Chairman as an ex-officio Chairman of the Executive Committee can exercise administrative powers only in those areas that have been entrusted by a resolution of the Executive Committee or by the resolution of the Council unless it has been specifically entrusted by law.
The consent of the Executive Committee of the Council (whichever is applicable) should be obtained before exercising the Executive/Administrative powers in matters relating to finance (excluding pay and salary), formulation and approving of policies, selection and approving of targeted beneficiaries, awarding and approving of any developmental schemes, it pointed out.
It further alleged that the process for establishing 30 Anganwadi centres in Sadar Hills for 2012-13 was totally confined under selfish end of Chairman Hangshing, accordingly the house of the executive members were not aware of his fraudulent activities while selecting the targeted beneficiaries.
The recent selection and approval of 100 Council's school beneficiaries under the 13th Finance Commission at the discretion of Hangshing without even consulting the House of the Council or the Executive Committee is an exercise of power without jurisdiction, it claimed.
Hangshing, therefore, has no moral right to continue as the Chairman of Sadar Hills, the statement said and appealed to the Congress high command to advise him to step down gracefully to uphold democracy.
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