HAC adopts new Bill to replace ADC Act
Cabinet resolved not to table bill in state assembly session
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 19 2021: Hill Areas Committee (HAC) of Manipur Legislative Assembly has adopted The Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council Bill, 2021 for tabling in the ensuing assembly session to replace the existing The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971.However, the state cabinet has reportedly expressed concern over the contents of the new Bill.

Addressing a press conference attended by aE its members at the conference hall of Hotel Classic Grande, HAC chairman K Leishiyo said that the Act was formed under Article 371 of the Indian Constitution and the Bill was adopted to meet the needs and aspirations of the present generation in order to bring better development in the hill areas.

The Committee wants to table the Bill in the House, which will begin Friday and it is up to the government to place the Bill or not.

Committee member TN Haokip said that copies of the new Bill are being circulated to the media for public perusal as it will facilitate rapid development in hill areas and improve the overall socio-economic condition of the state, he said.

On the other hand, sources said that the HAC in its meeting held on August 16 adopted the Bill for introducing in the state assembly as a replacement of the existing Act.

Consequently, an emergency meeting of the state cabinet was held with the participation of all the cabinet ministers.

The meeting minutely deliberated on the Bill and observed that it has provisions which will hurt the interest of other communities and affect the integrity of the state.

The cabinet reportedly resolved not to table the Bill in the ensuing state assembly session, the source said.

Along with the copies of the Bill, the HAC members also distributed a document containing some salient features of the Bill which include more autonomy to HAC and ADCs; increasing ADC constituencies to 31 with three members to be nominated; in the delimitation process of the 28 constituencies, 3/4th of the seats shall be allocated as per population representation of the areas covered under ADC and l/4th of the seats shall be reserved for the socio-economically backward areas; creation of hill areas secretariat; providing first and second appeal with regard to the adjudication of an election petition under the Bill; creation of an executive committee with members not exceeding seven under ADCs which shall act as a cabinet of the ADC; bringing hill house tax within the purview of ADC; active involvement of HAC in development and planning including budget planning and allocations for the entire hill areas.

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