Imphal, July 9: The Ex- ADC Members Forum of Manipur, in its general meeting held at Kangpokpi on July 8, 2025, had a lengthy discussion and deliberation on the issues related with the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in Manipur.
A statement from the forum said today that the meeting expressed strong resentment against the “indifferent attitude” of the state government of Manipur towards the ADCs. “The state government has been trying to suppress the constitutionally guaranteed democratic rights of the tribal people for years”, it also said.
“It is well known to all that the forum has been asking the state government for holding ADC elections, which have been due since 2020. However, the demand for holding ADC elections has been kept in the cold storage which is a deliberate attempt to abolish the local self political institution of the tribals”, the statement added. Even though the ADCs are being ignored, the state government has made adequate arrangements for the urban local bodies (ULBs) so as to make the functioning of ULBs alive. The meeting also took serious note of the appointment of DCs as administrators of the 6 ADCs, which is in total contravention of the acts and rules of the District Councils, the statement further added.
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Apart from submitting various representations to the previous governments, the forum recently met the Governor and submitted a memo-randum highlighting the issues related with the ADCS, the statement also said.
The forum then expressed profound gratitude to the Governor of Manipur for the positive response to the legitimate demand of the forum.
The July 8 meeting then resolved to question the state government as to why ADC elections are not held till today. The meeting also resolved to ask what steps have been taken up by the state government to empower the ADCs as per the acts and rules of the District Councils.
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The statement then asked, “If elections are not going to be held in the near future, what kind of arrangements are being made by the government to keep the functioning of the ADCs alive?”
The forum then said it had taken a firm decision to take up all possible steps to uphold the democratic and political rights of the tribal people in letter and spirit.
(Newmai News Network)