Suspended VC members challenges suspension order by DC
Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 2
A dispute in Toulazouma village, Chümoukedima, relating to alleged mismanagement by the village council has landed in court. The parties, on one side, included 8 village council (VC) members, whose tenure were suspended in May 2022. A collective of organisations from the village had demanded the termination of the then in office 8 village council members on charges of fund misappropriation and replacing them with a new set of members.
On the other side of the dispute included five organisations from the village, namely—Tenyimia Welfare Union (TWU), Toulazouma Women Organisation (TWO), Toulazouma Students’ Union (TSU), Toulazouma Youth Organisation (TYO) and Toulazouma Welfare Group (TWG). The state government represented by the Chief Secretary down to the EAC, Chümoukedima and the Director of the Food & Civil Supplies Department were also listed as respondents in a petition moved by the suspended village council members at the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench.
The court first heard the case, filed as a Writ Petition (Civil), on April 2.
As per the hearing, today, the 8 village council members filed the petition challenging an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner, Chümoukedima, on May 31, 2022, temporarily suspending the Toulazouma Village Council and its subsidiary bodies. It was followed by a notification from the DC on December 20, 2022, directing the constitution of an Inquiry Committee “to investigate into certain issues concerning the village.”
The petitioners claimed that despite more than two years passing, no action has been taken on the two orders issued by the DC in 2022.
Pending hearing from the other party, the court instructed that formal notice of the legal proceedings be served to the respondents, who are to respond within four weeks from the date of issuance of the notice. The petitioners were directed to provide copies of the Writ Petition (Civil) to the government advocate within three days and to the private respondents (the 5 organisations of Toulazouma village) within 7 days via registered post.
