ADC polls

IMPHAL, Oct 5: Election to the Autonomous District Councils of the State is likely to be delayed by another six months but it is not yet clear what recommendation the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) would give to the Government.
The term of office of the incumbent ADCs expired in June this year. The ADCs were formed in June 2015 after the election was held in the previous month.
Accordingly, a fresh election should have been held in May this year but the Government put off the election for six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic  and some other reasons.
Even if the extended period is taken into account, the ADC election should be held in November.
On the other hand, the ATSUM has been insisting that the ADC election should be held in November else they would take recourse to ‘strong steps’.
Talking to The Sangai Express, one ADC Chairman maintained that it does not matter to the incumbent ADC Chairmen and Members  whether the election is held in November or not.
According to Section 13 of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act 1971, the ADC election may be postponed for one year (six months twice) if the situation compels.
The ADC election which was supposed to be held in May this year was postponed as the situation was not favourable.
Whether the election should be further postponed  or the incumbent ADCs should be dissolved rests on the HAC and the State Government. There is no harm in holding the election in November if possible, said the Chairman.
In hill areas, local self Government means the ADCs and generally elections to ADCs are more problematic than Assembly and Parliamentary elections, he said.
He said that preparation of draft electoral roll has not been completed and it is unconventional to hold elections without fully preparing the draft electoral roll.
The Chairman added that he has no objection to both the options of either holding the election in November or postponement of the same by six more months.