Demand for resignation of Haokholal growing louder
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, September 20 2014 :
Saying that Chairman of Sardar Hills Autonomous District Council (ADC), Haokholal Hangshing has chosen to disregard the ADC members as public representatives and also acted contrary to the spirit of the District Councils Act and Rules, majority of the members of the Sadar Hills ADC have demanded for the resignation of the incumbent Chairman from his post, according to Paojalet Touthang, vice chairman of ADC Sadar Hills.
Paojalet Touthang while addressing a press conference at the residence of Bonthaolung Panmei, executive member, Sardar Hills ADC located at Mahabali Kabui Khul here today said that along with the resignation of Haokholal from the chairmanship earlier, the ADC is determined to suspend all financial matters in respect of the Sadar Hills ADC, Kangpokpi.
Moreover, the no-confidence motion against the incumbent chairman.
Paojalet Touthang alleged that under the leadership of Haokholal Hangshing, there is no transparency in financial administration and his autocratic style is truly unbearable.
As per the District Councils Act, 1971, all the administrative functions of the Council are vested in the Executive Committee but, in reality, in fact are concentrated in the Chairman himself, he stated.
The ADC vice chairman also said that Haokholal has exercised unguided administrative powers at his own discretion in all development related matters without consulting the District Council or the Executive Committee.
In their effort to remove the incumbent Chairman from his post, fourteen members of the Sadar Hill ADC have been holding a political camp for more than three months pleading the Congress high command to remove the Chairman from the leadership of the Congress Councillors, said Paojalet Touthang and stated that the Chairman has no moral right to continue as the ADC chairman for he is supported by only ten members in the Council.
Even after submitting a petition regarding the matter to the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kangpokpi on September 12, 2014, the issue has not been addressed yet, Paojalet Touthang pointed out.
He then alleged that Haokholal has misused funds amounting to Rs 1 crore under the 13 Finance Commission without the knowledge of the majority members of District Council.
"He has selected 100 schools (including bogus schools) as beneficiaries in arbitrary manner at his own discretion which is without any approved guidelines and without the approval of the District Council or the Executive Committee for the utilization of the said fund", said Paojalet Touthang.
He further told that the Chairman has also approved a list of more than 70 Anganwadi centres without consulting the District Council or the Executive Committee.
Further, the ADC vice chairman said that the Executive Council meeting which was scheduled to be held on September 18, 2014 was cancelled as the Chairman could not honour Rule no 10 of the District Council's Rules, 1972 and he was also not allowed to preside over the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Sadar Hills ADC vice chairman pointed out quoting a reliable source that the chairman is trying to fraudulently withdraw and misuse more council funds again.
Stating that the Chairman's clear intention is to create disunity among the Congress councilors which could eventually weaken the Congress party in the Sadar Hills, the vice chairman has said that ADC chairman Haokholal Hangshing needs to step down from his post at the earliest.