Create ADCs demand rung out :: First create then elections : Demand Committee
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 16 2021: Demanding immediate creation of ADCs (Autonomous District Councils) for Pherzawl, Kamjong, Noney and Tengnoupal districts, volunteers of Demand Committee on Creation of Autonomous District Councils, Manipur (DCCADCM) and people from the said districts staged a sit-in at Chingmeirong, Imphal today.

Banners and placards that read "Start Delimitation of ADC Constituencies'', "No ADC elections without creation of ADCs" and "Implement Article 371 (C) equally", were used in the protest.

Speaking to media persons, DCCADCM convenor Simon Kamei asked the State Government to first create the ADCs for Pherzwal, Kamjong, Noney and Tengoupal districts and conduct elections to all the councils.

He informed that memoranda in this regard have been submitted to Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 30 and February 24 this year respectively.

First create then elections : Demand Committee

The convenor decried that ADCs for Pherzwal, Kamjong, Noney and Tengoupal districts are yet to be created till today even though Kakching and Jiribam which were created as new districts in tandem with the earlier mentioned four districts have their own Zilla Parishads since 2017 .

Saying that the DCCADCM will fight tooth and nail to get its demand, Simon warned that the committee will boycott elections to the six existing ADCs if the councils are not created for the four districts.

The ADCs for Pherzwal, Kamjong, Noney and Tengoupal should be created and the expected election notification should include elections to these councils also, he said.

The DCCADCM along with people will launch various forms of agitation, including bandh and economic blockade in the hill areas if the State Government does not create the ADC at the earliest, he added.

It may be noted that the Government had recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ATSUM (All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur) that it would take a decision on the pending elections to six existing ADCs by March 31 .

ATSUM has been appealing the Government to hold the elections to the ADCs of Churachandpur, Chandel, Sadar Hills, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul district.

It had earlier imposed a 24 hour bandh in all hill districts on March 13 followed by an indefinite economic blockade.

The economic blockade was however suspended a day later following a meeting with the Chief Minister where both the parties signed the MoU.

Notably, the offices of the Members of the six ADCs have been lying vacant since December last year after their earlier extended term ended on November 30 .