Delay in holding local body polls questioned
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 7: The All Manipur Nupi Marup has questioned the inordinate delay in holding elections to local bodies like Gram Panchayats, Municipal Councils and ADCs.
A one day public discussion programme on “Election of local self Government and its importance” was held today at Manipur Press Club here.
Speaking at the discussion programme, All Manipur Nupi Marup president M Sakhi Devi pointed out that elections to Gram Panchayats were due by October 2022, Municipal Councils by June 2021 and ADCs by May 2020.
With the Government not holding these elections even though they are long overdue, all the rights of local bodies have been forfeited.
By appointing administrative committees or caretakers, the Government has been forfeiting all the rights of the people, she said before asking how long the local bodies would be kept under administrative committees and caretakers.
The primary purpose of decentralisation or devolution of power is ensuring development programmes and welfare schemes reach people at the grassroots level.
With the local body elections kept at bay for such a long time, the Government has been violating the Constitution of India and also robbing several benefits of the people, Sakhi said.
All the powers have been centralised in the hands of a handful people who are running the Government, she said.
With the Gram Panchayats, Municipal Councils and ADCs kept defunct for such a long time, several development activities such as planning, Gram Sabha meetings and drafting of labour budget have been derailed.
Moreover, MGNREGA, which guarantees 100 days of work in a year to each rural family, has been completely jeopardised, she said.
All these will have adverse cumulative effects on the State’s economy, Sakhi added.
Section 22 of the Panchayati Raj Act says that former elected members shall continue to hold their offices as in-charge office bearers if the Panchayat elections could not be held in time.
Even if administrative committees are formed, they shall not be allowed to run the local bodies for more than six months, she added, quoting the Panchayati Raj Act.
Senior Advocate Khaidem Mani pointed out that Chief Minister N Biren assured to hold the local body elections within the month of September but he (Biren) did not mention which year’s September.
Asserting that not holding local body elections is a grave mistake, he opined that it would do well for all stakeholders to hold the long overdue local body elections by December.
Prof Dr Chinglen Maisnam said that the State can never march forward without local self Governments. Defunct or dysfunctional local bodies is one primary reason for the failure of MGNREGA and many other Central sponsored schemes in Manipur, he said.
All Manipur Nupi Marup working president S Sorojini Devi and general secretary Sumatibala Lairenjam too spoke at the discussion programme.
IMPHAL, Oct 7: The All Manipur Nupi Marup has questioned the inordinate delay in holding elections to local bodies like Gram Panchayats, Municipal Councils and ADCs.
A one day public discussion programme on “Election of local self Government and its importance” was held today at Manipur Press Club here.
Speaking at the discussion programme, All Manipur Nupi Marup president M Sakhi Devi pointed out that elections to Gram Panchayats were due by October 2022, Municipal Councils by June 2021 and ADCs by May 2020.
With the Government not holding these elections even though they are long overdue, all the rights of local bodies have been forfeited.
By appointing administrative committees or caretakers, the Government has been forfeiting all the rights of the people, she said before asking how long the local bodies would be kept under administrative committees and caretakers.
The primary purpose of decentralisation or devolution of power is ensuring development programmes and welfare schemes reach people at the grassroots level.
With the local body elections kept at bay for such a long time, the Government has been violating the Constitution of India and also robbing several benefits of the people, Sakhi said.
All the powers have been centralised in the hands of a handful people who are running the Government, she said.
With the Gram Panchayats, Municipal Councils and ADCs kept defunct for such a long time, several development activities such as planning, Gram Sabha meetings and drafting of labour budget have been derailed.
Moreover, MGNREGA, which guarantees 100 days of work in a year to each rural family, has been completely jeopardised, she said.
All these will have adverse cumulative effects on the State’s economy, Sakhi added.
Section 22 of the Panchayati Raj Act says that former elected members shall continue to hold their offices as in-charge office bearers if the Panchayat elections could not be held in time.
Even if administrative committees are formed, they shall not be allowed to run the local bodies for more than six months, she added, quoting the Panchayati Raj Act.
Senior Advocate Khaidem Mani pointed out that Chief Minister N Biren assured to hold the local body elections within the month of September but he (Biren) did not mention which year’s September.
Asserting that not holding local body elections is a grave mistake, he opined that it would do well for all stakeholders to hold the long overdue local body elections by December.
Prof Dr Chinglen Maisnam said that the State can never march forward without local self Governments. Defunct or dysfunctional local bodies is one primary reason for the failure of MGNREGA and many other Central sponsored schemes in Manipur, he said.
All Manipur Nupi Marup working president S Sorojini Devi and general secretary Sumatibala Lairenjam too spoke at the discussion programme.