Keeping the ADCs in cold storage : Understanding self governance
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 30 2015 -

Election held on June 1. Results announced on June 10.

As things stand today, the Government seems satisfied with this and has not shown much interest in taking things to its logical conclusion.

Maybe there are compelling reasons for the inordinate delay, but the least the Government can do is explain this to the public.

Election to the Autonomous District Councils was held on June 1 and the results were declared on June 10.

Nearly 20 days down the line and the elected Members are yet to be given the oath of office and secrecy.

What is stopping the Government from doing this ?

In the absence of any coherent explanation for the long delay, it is not surprising to see and hear conspiracy theories doing the round.

State BJP president Th Chaoba has already gone on record and stated for everyone to hear and see that they smell something fishy in the long delay taken to swear in the newly elected Members.

Not surprising to hear that the delay has been engineered to enable some political parties, notably the Congress, to keep its doors open and encourage others to party hop.

Remember the Congress bit the dust in quite a number of DCCs, notably at Ukhrul, Senapati, Churachandpur and just about managed to keep its head up at Tamenglong and Chandel.

No wonder conspiracy theories are flying thick and fast.

That the Congress was not exactly on comfortable ground was a point that was clear even before the election was held.

The emergence of the BJP, thanks to its being in power at the Centre and the growing clout of the Naga People’s Front in the Naga dominated districts only made things more uncomfortable for the Congress and this was something that was clearly reflected in the results of the ADC election.

Not yet very clear why there has been such a long delay in swearing in the newly elected Members of the ADCs but to be sure this has not done the Congress any good.

If there are any compelling reasons for this then the Government should spell these out. Absolutely makes no sense to keep mum over this.

After a gap of more than 20 years or so, election to the ADC was held in 2010.

Boycott marked the last election in some parts, particularly in the Naga dominated districts and so strictly enforced was the boycott that none of the elected ADC Members from the Naga dominated districts could function from their respective district headquarters, defeating the very essence of self governance in the hill areas.

Situation seems to have improved this time, but there still remains the question of whether the Government and the elected Members have really understood what self governance is all about.

The failure to swear in the newly elected ADC Members may be attributed to the failure to appreciate the finer meaning of local governance.

The ADC election should have been more about discussing the means and ways to improve self governance in the hill districts and to address the plight of the hill people by getting a first hand account of the situation.

However judging by the manner in which the Government has been dilly dallying with the question of swearing in the elected Members and kicking life into the ADC, this seems to be the last thing in the minds of the people who matter.