The HAC had resolved that the recent order appointing additional members from unscheduled areas other than what is specified in the First Schedule of the Presidential order of 1972 is “unconstitutional”. Tribal bodies continue to demand Assembly Special Session to discuss Manipur ADC Bill, 2021
TFM News Service
After stiff opposition from hill based organisations and forums, Manipur Legislative Assembly on Wednesday withdrew the order on the induction of 8 valley MLAs into the Hill Areas Committee (HAC).
An order to this effect issued by the Manipur Legislative Assembly secretary K Meghajit Singh said that in supersession of all the previous orders in connection with the induction MLAs representing 9 nine Assembly Constituencies in the Hill Areas Committee, Manipur Legislative Assembly as Members and subsequent upon the submission of applications by the 8 (eight) newly inducted Members, also in order to facilitate better understanding amongst all the stakeholders in this matter, the order No. 5/11(2)/2021-LA (Secy) dated 1st September, 2021 is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect.
The latest development follows firm and unequivocal opposition to the Speaker’s move by the HAC as well as several hills based tribal organisations and forums. The HAC had resolved that the recent order appointing additional members from unscheduled areas other than what is specified in the First Schedule of the Presidential order of 1972 is unconstitutional and thus must be rescinded immediately as demanded by constitutional mandate and at the ends of justice.
Other organisations like ATSUM, KSO-GHQ, ANSAM and ATSUM Federating Units had hailed the HAC’s stand and decided to boycott the Manipur State Government’s program “Go to Hills 2.0”. Students’ bodies had also set a September-9 deadline to withdraw the order and threatened intense agitation.
Tribal bodies demand Assembly Special Session to discuss Manipur ADC Bill, 2021
Meanwhile, in a consultative meeting held in Chandel on Wednesday attended by representatives from Kuki Students Oragnisation-GHQ, All Naga Students Association, Chandel Naga Peoples Organisation, All Tribal Students Union Manipur and others have resolved to “endorse and reiterate” the demand of ATSUM for convening the Manipur Legislative Assembly Special Session to discuss the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council Bill, 2021 recommended by HAC, and the immediate rescind of the Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker orders for induction of 8 MLAs from Assembly Constituencies of unscheduled areas as members of HAC. The meeting further resolved to endorse the decision of ATSUM to boycott the Manipur State government’s programme “Go to Hills 2.0”.