ADC polls demanded

IMPHAL, Sep 23: The Imphal Naga Forum has called for ADC polls with more autonomy and financial power expressing deep concern over the long delay in holding ADC elections in Manipur. The Government has made a series of promises to the people to conduct elections to the local bodies--Municipalities, Panchayats and Autonomous District Councils in the recent past. But all  assurances to hold the elections have not been translated into action till date, said the forum in a statement today.
The forum reminded the Government that its Cabinet had taken a decision on June 13, 2024 to hold elections to local bodies.
Following this, the Secretary to Chief Minister N Geoffrey wrote a letter to the Special Chief Secretary on June 14 to obtain the opinion of the Hill Areas Committee regarding the elections.
Further, the Deputy Secretary of TA & Hills, on July 24, wrote to the Secretary Manipur State Legislative Assembly to seek the views of the Hill Areas Committee regarding the decision to hold elections.
Despite this, the elections have not been held till today, said the Imphal Naga Forum.
The ADC elections were supposed to be held in June 2020.
When the elections were withheld citing COVID-19 pandemic, State and Parliamentary elections were held successfully. "To our dismay and disappointment, the Chairman of HAC has failed to call a meeting of the hill MLAs to arrive at a concrete decision with regard to the much awaited ADC polls and furnish its views, comments and opinions to the State Government," said the forum.
 If it is expeditious, the Imphal Naga Forum is constrained to ask the HAC to call for ADC polls in the six districts sans the newly created four districts, it added.
Local self governance and grassroot democracy has been denied to the hill people for the last 4 years despite strong demands by various tribal CSOs to conduct ADC elections. With the ADCs paralysed, developmental activities and projects have taken a back seat, said the forum.
"The Chairman of the Hill Areas Committee is kindly implored not to sit on the recent Cabinet decision but convene an early meeting of the HAC and convey its decision to the State Government to conduct the long pending and much awaited ADC polls with more autonomy and financial power in the immediate future," said the Imphal Naga Forum.
If the much sought ADC polls are not held in a time bound manner, then people have no other viable option but to resort to various forms of intense agitation and protests to press for early elections to the Autonomous District Councils, it warned the Government.