Forum set up to fight for ADC issues
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 03 2022: An ex-ADC Members forum has been set up to fight for issues related to Autonomous District Councils.

A meeting of former ADC Chairmen and Members was held today at ADC Bhavan, Sangakpham where the Ex-ADC Members Forum Manipur was formed.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, ex-Ukhrul ADC Chairman and the newly formed forum's advisor Dr Yaronso Ngalung said that it has been almost two years since the ADCs elected in 2015 were dissolved by the Government in November 2020 but no election has been held till date.

He appealed to the Government to ensure that the ADC election is held by the beginning of next year, if it is not possible within the current year.

Forum set up to fight for ADC issues

Although delimitation was done under the 6th Schedule, no delimitation commission was set up.

Nonetheless, a sub-committee constituted under the Hill Areas Committee has consulted district administrations, Dr Yaronso said.

He maintained that there is no reason for any further delay in holding ADC election as the delimitation process has already been completed.

Perhaps, the authorities concerned have an intention to hold the ADC election after completing all recruitments under ADCs and exhausting their funds, he said.

Saying that the recruitment process of teaching and non-teaching staff being done by the Tribal Affairs and Hills Department should be put on hold, Dr Yaronso said that the recruitment should be preceded by ADC election because recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff is a duty of ADCs.

After the ADCs were dissolved on November 30, 2020, there were caretaker Chairmen for all the ADCs from May 17, 2021 to August 2022 .

It was during the time of the caretaker Chairmen that the first instalment of the 15th Finance Commission for 2021-22 was sanctioned.

But the State Government has not yet released the fund and now all the caretaker Chairmen have been removed, the advisor said.

All the proposals submitted by the caretaker Chairmen for execution out of the 15th Finance Commission's fund were rejected by the TA&Hills Department and the department has been working to implement its own set of works, Dr Yaronso said.

He then appealed to the department not to overrule but implement the works proposed by the caretaker Chairmen.

He said that all these were discussed minutely in today's meeting before the Ex-ADC Members Forum Manipur was formed.

Dr Yaronso said that the forum would work to resolve all issues pertaining to ADCs.

The forum's spokesman N Wungreiyo said that as per the Manipur Hill Areas District Council Act 1971, all necessary staff whether officers or subordinate staff should be recruited by District Councils.

The rule or rule of law given by the Act should be followed but the State Government often goes by the 'rule of man' instead of rule of law, Wungreiyo said.

He then urged the Government to ensure that new ADCs are constituted at the earliest and let them do their duties.