'ADC is not autonomous administrative division'
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 09 2015 :
United Naga Council (UNC) and All Tribal Chiefs' Forum (ATCF) advisor Somi Keishing on Tuesday said the present Autonomous District Council (ADC) is not an autonomous administrative division since there is no autonomy in the ADC Act itself.
He said this during an exclusive interview with Hueiyen Lanpao at his residence in Tangkhul Avenue here.
Somi said there is no financial, legislature and administrative autonomy under ADC in Manipur but these are wholly dependent on the directive of the State Government.
It is nothing less than transferring of certain departments which are merely controlled by the ADC members and alleged that no funds are provided to manage independently by the councils, Somi said.
So the elected members work in the atmosphere of the grants-in-aid status and they have no power to change the modus operandi, he maintained.
He further alleged that the Government notified the ADC election schedule giving a short period of time and that the people were not aware about it.
He was very unhappy with the presiding officers for misuse of their power and for not heeding to the public's appeal for conducting re-polls at many polling stations.
He appealed to the people to take legal action against those presiding officers.
Giving the example on the misuse of power by the Presiding Officer at 21/1 Shingkap Segment, Ukrul on the June 1 (election day), he said that the BJP candidate Henry keishing himself lodged a complaint with the Ukhrul Deputy Commissioner and Presiding officer urging them to conduct re-poll for the booth.
He said other voters were restricted from entering the polling booth and that proxy voting was taken place there.
But no action was taken by the responsible authority, he lamented.
"Now the only option is to suit legal action against the responsible persons who involved in the electoral crime", Somi added.