Table ADC bill in assembly before election: ATSUM to Govt
Source: Chronicle News Service

Senapati, April 13 2022: All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM), the apex body of tribal students in Manipur, has raised objection to the government's move of conducting ADC election in the hills of the state without tabling the HAC recommended ADC Bill, 2021 in the assembly and empowering the ADC.

This came after an order issued by Ningthoujam Geoffrey, secretary to chief minister, on April 8 to the Tribal Affairs & Hills Department, directing to process for placing before the cabinet regarding conduct of election to the ADC.

In this regard, a consultative meeting of ATSUM, Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO-GHQ), All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and other senior ATSUM leaders was held on Wednesday at Amity Hall, Adimjati Complex to discuss the HAC recom mended ADC Bill 2021 and the state government's intention to process the conduct of ADC election in near future.

The meeting thoroughly deliberated on the ADC Bill movement spearheaded by ATSUM that demanded introduction of the bill in the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

After a thorough discussion, the meeting resolved to ratify its long standing demand of tabling the bill in the Assembly at the earliest possible time.

It also resolved that the ADC election should not be conducted until such time as the process for introduction of HAC recommended Bill 2021 in the Assembly is duly initiated.

ATSUM expressed its deep dissatisfaction with the previous government which failed to table.the bill despite inking an agreement with the three tribal student bodies in which the state government had given its assurance of tabling the bill in the winter session of the Assembly in the event of ATSUM suspending its agitation.

However, the students' body lamented that the winter session was never convened as per agreement although the agitation was suspended after the assurance given by the state government.

A press communique issued by Khaiminlen Doungel, information & publicity secretary, ATSUM, further stated, "It is the aspiration and expectation of the tribal people that the HAC recommended Bill 2021 is tabled in the assembly at the soonest time possible.

ATSUM had always demanded the timely conduct of the ADC election in the past and had even launched agitations to pressurise the government.

But the government on one pretext or another had delayed it".

"However, when ail the tribal people of the state decided to strengthen and empower the ADC by support ing HAC recommended Bill 2021, the government seems to act in a hurry to conduct ADC election.

In fact, this is ironic.

It is well understood that an ADC election without strengthening the ADC is just a mockery and a lot of eyewash.

Therefore, if the government is really for empowering and strengthening the ADC then it has to conduct the election after the HAC recommended bill is introduced in the assembly.

Only then, the good intention of the government will be validated," ATSUM added.

In this regard, ATSUM, KSO and ANSAM resolved that the ADC Bill 2021 should be tabled in the Assembly as soon as possible and also resolved that the ADC election should not be conducted without first giving empowerment to ADC within the ambit of the Indian Constitutions.

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