Ukhrul, September 24: The Imphal Naga Forum (INF) has raised concerns over the prolonged delay in holding the Autonomous District Council (ADC) elections in the hill districts of Manipur, calling for immediate action from the state government. In a press statement, the INF pointed out that the government’s repeated promises to conduct local bodies elections, including those for Municipalities, Panchayats, and ADCs, but noted that these assurances have yet to materialize.
The ADC polls, originally scheduled for June 2020, were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the INF expressed disappointment that despite the successful completion of State and Parliamentary elections during the pandemic, the ADC polls remain on hold.
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According to the INF, the latest Cabinet decision on the matter, dated June 13, 2024, was communicated to the Secretary of the Manipur State Assembly by the Deputy Secretary of Tribal Development and Hills on July 24, 2024. This decision sought the views of the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) regarding the conduct of ADC elections. Similarly, the Secretary to the Chief Minister, N. Geoffrey, wrote to the Special Chief Secretary on June 24, 2024, requesting the opinions of the HAC on the matter.
The INF expressed frustration with the HAC Chairman, who has failed to convene a meeting of hill MLAs to arrive at a concrete decision on the ADC polls. The forum questioned the Chairman’s reluctance to act, noting that the lack of action has left the hill districts without elected ADC members for the past four years, resulting in stalled development projects and unaddressed local issues.
“Local self-governance and grassroots democracy have been denied to the hill people for four years, despite strong demands from various tribal civil society organizations (CSOs) for early ADC elections,” the INF stated.
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The Imphal Naga Forum urged the HAC Chairman to promptly convene a meeting and relay the committee’s decision to the state government. They called for the ADC elections to be held with increased autonomy and financial power to ensure effective governance in the hill districts.
The forum warned that if the elections are not held in a timely manner, the people will have no choice but to resort to “intense agitations and protests” to press for early ADC polls.
The long delay in the elections has left the hill districts in limbo, with developmental activities suffering due to the absence of functioning elected ADC members. The INF has now placed the onus on the state government and the HAC to act swiftly to address the growing discontent in the hill areas.
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