The Soraphung village council on Tuesday reiterated the unanimous resolution adopted by the public sitting held on September 21, 2018 to run the village affairs with Village Council chairmanship system.
Speaking at the press conference held on Tuesday evening at Ukhrul town, Soraphung Village Council members led by its chairman Meliba and secretary Silei declared that the village public sitting held on September 21, 2018 had “resolved to run the village affairs under chairmanship system” as village headman Yaruingam was found to have violated the native village customary laws.
The Village Council had alleged that headman Yaruingam had replaced the names of five old aged pensioners identified as Kewepfa, K. Ringshi, VS. Wechitiu, VS. Aphuni and Vashum Alo with the name of his friends on the ground that all the beneficiaries have died though they are still alive.
Alleging that he had sold a designated terrace fields accorded to him by the public, the village council highlighted that according to the village customary law, it is considered tabooed to sell any kind of his immovable properties.
The Village Council also charged that headman saying he had sold various public lands at different occasion without the concern and knowledge of the public.
They further stated that according to the village customary laws and traditional practices, in case of violation to the customs and traditions and offending the taboo, he, the headman, must be immediately removed from the headmanship, a known practice called Thevo-o / Thevoship by the villagers.
Declaring the resolution adopted by the Soraphung village public sitting held in 2018, VC asserted that headman Yaruingam ceased to be the headman as he was removed by the public for violating the native village customary laws, and added that accordingly he was barred from appending headman’s name, signature and seal in the letterhead in the matters that concerned the village.
In a letter served to headman Yaruingam on September 30, 2019, the letter signed by Soraphung Village Council chairman and secretary had mentioned that he ceased to be the headman as he had been removed by the public as per the public sitting held on August 6, 2018.
In view of this, effective September 30, 2018, headman Yaruingam had been barred from using headman name, signature and seal in the letterhead, it stated.
The letter further warned that village emergency sitting held on September 30, 2019 had resolved to take stringent action against former headman Yaruingam in the event of violation of the resolution adopted by the public.