Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 11:
Hampered by infrastructural backlog, technical inefficiency and other complications the 45 days time-frame set by the State Government for completion of delimitation exercise in the hill districts and sub-division of manipur is unlikely to materialise.
The delimitation exercise was envisioned in order to facilitate conduct of early elections for revival of the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in five districts and one sub-division in the hill areas of the State.
On completion of the delimitation exercise, jurisdiction of each ADC would cover 24 ADC segments.
Motion for the ADC polls was set during the special Assembly session wherein the Tribal Development Minister introduced the Manipur Hill Areas Autonomous District Council Bill 2008 only to be replaced with the promulgation of an Ordinance by the State Government.
After approval of the State Cabinet and subsequent issuance of the Ordinance, decision to hold the ADC poll was adopted sometime in May this year.
Even though the initial instruction from the State Government concerns expeditious completion of the delimitation exercise and to recommend a draft proposal on the same, the exercise had been stalled owing to various reasons.
Some factors impeding the exercise is said to be the interregnum of 10 days between the Cabinet decision and formal appointment of Chairman of the Delimitation Commission, absence of internet facility inspite of supply of computers some days back and lack of basic infrastructure for official procedures.
Further disclosing that since appointment of the Chairman two meetings attended by members of the Delimitation Commission and Deputy Commissioners concerned had already been held (june 2&9), the source said the DCs were instructed to submit draft proposals with regard to inter-village/inter-district boundary demarcations to avoid controversies when the ADC segments are finalised.
As there is no visible sign of the Govt guidelines being obliged till date, the time frame for completion of the delimitation exercise is likely to necessitate further extension, the source opined.
Nevertheless, the source confided that in case the DCs submit the draft proposals at the earliest possible, the Government too is planning for finalisation of the entire delimitation exercises by July 25 .