CM assures elections to local bodies in April
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 03 2023:
Chief minister N Biren on Thursday assured the state assembly that the pending elections to Panchayat, municipality and Autonomous District Council (ADC) would be conducted within April this year after fixing convenient dates.
The chief minister gave the assurance in his clarification to the policy cut motions raised by Opposition members when the demand for grant of Panchayat amounting Rs 156,80,42,000 was moved.
Raising the motions, K Ranjit and K Meghachandra demanded clarification from the Ruling bench on why elections to the local bodies have not been conducted to which N Biren said that Manipur is a difficult state and there are many people who are ready to raise objection whenever government takes up any work.
When elections to the Panchayat, municipality and ADC are not conducted together, these people would speak more and accordingly the government plans to conduct all the elections within April month in phased manner if there is no legal problem.
The government has no intention of delaying or holding back elections for grassroots self-government bodies and rather wants vibrant democratic set up right from the grassroots level, he said, adding that ADG election got delayed due to delimitation issue.
The chief minister further informed that MAHUD minister Y Khemchand had already submitted relevant documents for Panchayat and municipality elections to the Election Commission of India and the elections would be held even if there happened to be areas facing court cases by leaving out those areas.