IMPHAL, Apr 16 : Causing more confusion in the minds of the people over the issue surrounding the proposed election to the Autonomous District Councils, Principal Secre-tary in charge of Tribal Development and Hills has asserted that the election of the Autonomous District Council had never been discussed as an agenda in the meeting of the State Cabinet nor any decision taken in this regard.
Talking to some mediapersons today afternoon, Principal Secretary in-charge of Tribal Development and Hills, LP Golmei categorically stated that the State Cabinet had never discussed the issue related to the conduct of the election to the Autonomous District Councils as an agenda nor taken any decision over the issue.
‘‘If at all any decision had been taken in this regard, then the relevant copy may please be furnished to me’’, he requested the mediaper-sons present.
However, he went on to inform that though the issue had not been tabled for discussion as an agenda in the meeting of the Cabinet, discussion had been held on the suitable timing for holding the election to the Autonomous District Councils. But no final decision had been taken.
If the decision had been taken, the matter would have to be brought to the notice of the relevant authorities. Only then a formal notification can be issued for the State Election Commission to start the process of the election, he clarified.
The fact that no election notification had been issued on April 15 for the first phase of the election shows that the Government has no definite stand on the issue, Golmei asserted.
It may be noted here that a senior Cabinet Minister had earlier announced that the State Cabinet proposed to conduct the election of the Autonomous District Councils in two phases in May. The same announcement had also been flashed in the media. Consequently, the schedule of the election too had been worked out. But following strong opposition to the conduct of the election under the existing provisions of the Autonomous District Councils Act, bandh and blockade are being imposed in the hill areas.
A meeting of the State Cabinet on March 25 had also given its approval to the proposal of holding the election of the District Councils in two-phase in May.
Moreover, at the occasion of inaugurating the administrative office building of the Autonomous District Council, Chura-chandpur on April 13, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, while declaring that a notification would be issued very soon so that the election process of the Autonomous District Councils could be completed within May, had appealed to the people not to disturb the election process.
For the Indian National Congress, submission of forms by aspiring nominee candidates too has been carried out.
According to information, the State Cabinet is likely to finalise a new date and schedule of the election on April 21.

The Sangai Express