Political empowerment and Tribal Women Of Manipur
- Part 10 -

Dr. Benjamin Gangmei *

A brief discussion on man-woman relationship in political matter among some of the major tribes of Manipur shows that the patriachal values were prominently expressive in many aspects of socio-political life of the tribes. Then how has been the relationship after the democratisation of hill areas administration? Reorganization of Hill Areas Administration in modern times began after the Indian independence.

"The Maharaja of Manipur through the Manipur State Council promulgated the Manipur Hill Peoples Regulation, 1947." For the administration of hill areas of the State under the overall in-charge of the Minister of Hill Affairs. Judicial administration of the villages was to be formed through "Village Authorities, Circle Courts, Sub-divisional Courts, the Hill Bench and Chief Court of Manipur."

Village Authority is established at every village of 20 households and above. The Authority is "empowered with judicial administration, maintenance of law and order without police power, collection of hill house tax and adjudication and criminal cases by applying the State Criminal Laws and Tribal Customary Laws."

While it is change in village or hill administration, the nature of administrative reorganisation is more of security and less of general administration. And the "Regulation of 1947 was partly withdrawn/repealed by the Village Authorities Act, 1956." The Regulation Act has for the first time introduced an overarching system of hill administration.

In other words, the supremacy of traditional village council has been reduced and thereby first democratised administrative structure with inter-tribal basis.

The Hill Peoples Regulation Act, 1947 which envisaged higher authority just above the Village Authorities was first an overarching administrative body introduced in tribal areas of Manipur. The entire tribal area was grouped into nine circles and each of them was placed under Circle Authority. There were six members including Circle Officer in each Circle Authority.

They were elected by the Village Authorities of the Circle and thereby first introduced elective element or democratic administration in tribal areas of the State. The Circle Authority was combined with both civil and criminal administration. It is also "responsible for the administration of lower and upper primary education, the construction of bridle paths and bridges, the supply of drinking water, the improvement of terrace cultivation, to reduce or eliminate jhum cultivation, the maintenance of land records, collection of taxes, preservation of forests both ordinary and reserve, etc."

Of all the administrative bodies introduced by the Act, Village Authorities and Circle Authority seem to be relevant or important. For they were in direct contact with the concerned people and dealt with their socio-political issue of the society.

Then the Parliament passed the Manipur Hill Areas Village Authorities Act, 1956 and it came into force in 1957. For every village which has 20 to 60 tax-paying houses is entitled to have five members and for villages which have 61-100 and 101-150 tax-paying houses are entitled to 7 and 10 members of Village Authority. As such there are 725 Village Authorities in seven areas of the hills.

The changes the Act introduced are :
i) the members are elected on the basis of Adult Franchise. Prior to this Act, the village chief chose his councillors. Then the Village Authority is an elected body;
ii) the Chief's power over village court was not valid as the Act "authorised the head of the State to appoint two or more members of the Village Authority to act as Village Court" ;
iii) the Act "legitimised the feudalistic chiefship and Khullakpaship by making" either chief or khullakpa" as/ex-officio Chairman of the Village Authorities". And the Act "provided the constitution of a Village Court with proper power, jurisdiction and authority."

Finally, the administrative reorganisaiton of Manipur hill areas is made by passing the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971. It was passed by Union Parliament.

The Act has organised hill areas into six District Councils, i.e. Churachandpur (South), Senapati (North), Ukhrul (East), Tamenglong (West), Chandel (Manipur South-East), Kangpokpi (Senapati South). The Act was came into force in 1973. And each District Council originally consisted of 18 members and two moninees. The Act provides the District Councils executive, legislative financial and judicial power for effectively functioning of the Councils.

A glance over the administrative changes introduced by the three Acts between 1947 and 1971 has enabled us to understand that some necessary amount of administrative reorganisation has been made during the period. Considering the reorganisation from participation point of view, it has up-dated both traditional and democratic administrative system to facilitate the administrative processes to bring about overall socio-economic development and greater political participation in democratic-political process particularly in tribal areas.

In this regard for our concern is the extent of women's representation to political decision-making bodies like Village Authority, District Council, State Legislative Assembly, etc. The responses provided by different respondents revealed that no political participation progress has been made so far in this regard for various reasons.

That is, no different tribal groups have not yet brought change in patriachal value-bound traditional institutions for the participation of women. So, except few tribal women who contested elections to constitutional and statutory bodies and appointed political workers, no actual empowerment of tribal women has been ever made among the tribes of Manipur.

Sexual discrimination of women in political matter comparatively remains unchanged giving them no necessary political rights and opportunities for participation in political processes at any levels. In other words except their constitutional rights and privileges, no tribal community has ever made them new traditional political rights and opportunities and enabling them to enjoy the same. So, tribal women without new traditional political status have no voice in traditional political decision-making bodies even today.

This was testified by tribal leaders during the observance of 100th International Women's Day in Imphal. According to K. Shimray, tribal women of Manipur, not talk of women reservation, are yet to enjoy their voting rights particularly in remote areas. He also pointed out that "equal rights and equal opportunity between man and woman is still a distant dream more specially for womenfolk in the hill districts of Manipur."

With regard to women reservation matter he lamentingly said that while valley women do enjoy reservation opportunity in Panchayati and Municipality, "womenfolk in hills districts have not been able to take part in the decision-making process even at the village level." One reason is that "there is no provision of keeping reserved seats for the women in the election to the Autonomous District Council for the hill districts." So, he called for a "concerted effort of women" for women empowerment.

To be continued....