Despite Unrest, Manipur Govt Plans Long-Pending Autonomous District Council Elections

The Manipur Government in the meantime has constituted sort of adhoc committees of 20 members for each ADC as a temporary arrangement.

Manipur Government may hold long-pending Autonomous Council elections; Decision to form adhoc committees in 6 ADCs opposed by many who say such committees may not have proper representation.

Despite the abnormal law and order situation in Manipur, the State Government appears to be planning to hold the long-pending elections to the six Autonomous District Councils in the state. But the big development meanwhile has been the holding of a meeting of the Hill Areas Committee in Imphal on October 14 where obviously the Kuki-Zo MLAs or Kuki-Zo representatives were not present and attended therefore by the Naga MLAs and Naga representatives mainly.

The HAC meeting adopted a resolution, Number 59/2024, recommending to the Government of Manipur to hold the elections to the 6 ADCs. The Manipur Government in the meantime has constituted sort of adhoc committees of 20 members for each ADC as a temporary arrangement till the ADC elections are conducted. According to the resolution, a copy of which is accessed by Northeast Live, 18 of the 20 members will be selected from among former ADC Members, intellectuals, eminent people etc while two members will be nominated by the Government.

Now questions are being raised as to who will be selecting the 18 members? Will it be selected by the Hill Areas Committee which has not been able to meet with all its members as the Kuki-Zo members have not attended the October 14 meeting? Will the 18 members then be selected by the Naga members in the HAC or the Government? The picture is unclear. The HAC in its October 14 meeting vested the responsibility to the state government to take up necessary steps.

Meanwhile, an organization called Manipur Naga Youth Organisation had issued a statement on October 20^th opposing the October 14 HAC Resolution. The MNYO said the formation of temporary ADC Committees without adequate consultation or representation is undemocratic and compromises grassroots governance. The MNYO has urged the Manipur Governor to intervene on the matter as the custodian of Article 371 C.

It appears that a new front has been created in Manipur which the authorities may now have to deal with.

The 6 ADCs are Chandel Autonomous District Council, Churachandpur Autonomous District Council, Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council Kangpokpi, Manipur North Autonomous District Council, Senapati , Tamenglong Autonomous District Council, and Ukhrul Autonomous District Council.

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