IMPHAL | Dec 27: The Autonomous District Council members of Tamenglong district has opposed the newly introduced fourth amendment of the Manipur Hill Areas District Council bill, 2017.
A press release by ADC spokesperson K Liangpibou states that the members have resolved to submit a memorandum to the governor of the state appealing to withhold assent to the said bill. It said that the governor can reserve a bill passed by the legislature for consideration by the President under the circumstances that the bill is unconstitutional , if it is against the larger interest of the country, if it is in direct opposition to the Directive Principles of State Policy among others.
The bill is challenged by the ADC members on the grounds that the amendment bill is unconstitutional and against public interest. It said that a grave mistake has been committed by the state legislature and tribal affairs minister.
The Manipur (Hill Areas) district councils (fourth amendment) bill, 2017 was introduced by inserting sub section (4) after sub section (3) of section 4 of the Act with the provision that members nominated under section 4(3) of the Act shall have voting rights in all meetings of district council to which they are nominated.
It said that the amendment was made without giving any opportunity to the general public and concerned elected district council to deliberate on first.
The tribal affairs minister is accused of not being understanding and for hurriedly introducing the amendment without laying down the criteria for appointment of the nominee members of the district councils. It said that such will enable the nominee members to cast votes in all the meetings of the district council including the no confidence motion for removal of the ADC chairman. It alleged that since the inception of the District Council Act till date, the administrator adopted the pick and choose method to appoint the nominee member of the district councils and is obviously a strategy and interest of an individual who wants to secure his position in a no confidence motion when a resolution for removal of chairman is adopted, the release said.
Further that the amendment is an attempt to divert the direction given by the High Court of Manipur judgement passed in this issue earlier.
Source: Imphal Free Press
