The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has strongly criticized the Hill Areas Committee’s (HAC) recent decision to form an ad hoc committee aimed at overseeing the functioning of the Autonomous District Councils (ADC) in Manipur’s hill regions. This move comes in anticipation of the long-overdue ADC elections. Passed on October 14, the HAC resolution proposes establishing a 20-member committee, comprising former ADC members, local self-government experts, eminent intellectuals, and two government nominees.
ANSAM condemned this proposition, asserting it undermines democratic principles and fails to adhere to the rule of law. The organization emphasized that both the HAC and the state government should focus on strengthening local democratic institutions in the hill areas, in alignment with Article 371C of the Indian Constitution. This article provides special provisions for the governance of tribal regions in Manipur, safeguarding their interests.
The association highlighted past instances of dissatisfaction among the Naga people, referring to the rejection of the controversial District Councils Amendment Acts of 2008, and the Sixth and Seventh Amendment Bills of 2022. These legislative moves were perceived as imposed decisions by the state government that bypassed the HAC’s consent, further straining the local political environment.
With the ADC’s original tenure ending on May 31, 2020, the state government has repeatedly failed to uphold its commitments to conduct new elections, according to ANSAM. Instead, interim caretakers were appointed, a system which was recently overturned by the Gauhati High Court in March 2024, ruling such appointments illegal.
ANSAM urges the HAC and state authorities to reconsider their current approach and take prompt actions in empowering grassroots democracy within the hill areas. They advocate for ensuring the ADC’s operation aligns with both legal frameworks and the original intent of Article 371C, thereby securing the democratic rights and representation of the hill communities.
Original Story https://www.morungexpress.com/ansam-rejects-recommendation-of-hill-areas-committee
Category : North-East
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Publish Date: 2024-11-02 21:42:00
