Notices served to allow functioning of ZP, GP members
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 20 2023:
In the wake of high court's directive to allow elected representatives of Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads to function till the issuance of election notification, petitioners' counsel served legal notices to relevant authorities including commissioner/secretary (RD & PR), Manipur State Election Commission CEO and DCs concerned to implement the court's order.
The legal notices served by the petitioners' counsel based on Writ Petition (No 266 of 2023) mentioned that the order issued by joint secretary (RD & PR) on March 21, 2023 should be kept in abeyance and representatives of Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads elected in 5th General Panchayat Election held in 2017 allowed to function till the issuance of election notification for 6th General Panchayat Election as directed by the high court.
The high court of Manipur had on April 18 directed commissioner/secretary (RD & PR), CEO of Manipur State Election Commission and DCs of Imphal West, Imphal East, Jiribam, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur districts to comply with court's order.
Though the writ petition was filed separately by three petitioners, the court clubbed together the three cases and heard them as one as they were similar.
Respondents of the case include commissioner/secretary (RD & PR), CEO of Manipur State Election Commission and DCs of relevant districts.
During hearing of the case, petitioners placed before the court that joint secretary (RD & PR) issued a notification on January 23, 2023 in accordance with the state cabinet's decision taken on January 2, 2023 to constitute administrative committees for ZPs and GPs of all relevant districts for functioning of grass roots governance.
Another similar order also invalidated powers of representatives elected in the 5th General Panchayat Election held in 2017 but the petitioners approached the court for annulling all the orders issued by the government.
After perusing statements from both the petitioners and respondents, the court of acting chief justice MV Muralidharan reserved judgement of the case on April 6.While pronouncing the reserved judgement on April 18, the court directed relevant authorities to allow representatives of ZPs and GPs elected in the 5th General Panchayat Election to function till issuance of notification for the 6th General Panchayat Election.