Newmai News Network Imphal | August 28 The All Tribal Rights’ Protection Forum Manipur (ATRPFM) has served 48 hours ultimatum to the Government of Manipur to revoke the cabinet decision of constituting a cabinet sub-committee to look into the functioning of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in respect of Senapati, Churachandpur and Tamenglong. ATRPFM submitted the ultimatum to Governor of Manipur, Dr Najma A Heptulla today seeking her intervention to revoke the cabinet order within 48 hours. The Forum cautioned that it will resort to strong forms of agitation if the government fails to pay heed to the demand. According to the ATRPFM, on August 23, 2018, the Secretary of the Tribal Affairs and Hills (TA & Hills), Government of Manipur, issued an order in pursuance to a decision of the State Cabinet to constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee to look into the functioning of Autonomous District Councils of Senapati, Churachandpur and Tamenglong. Consequently, a six-member cabinet sub-committee was constituted. “By virtue of item No 2 of the: Scheduled Matters in the Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) order, 1972 under Article 371C of the Constitution, the constitution power and functioning of District Councils in hill areas are absolutely within the purview of the Hill Areas Committee,” ATRPFM stated. Thus, it said, formation of a new cabinet sub-committee to look into the functioning of the Autonomous District Councils “is arbitrary, bias and unconstitutional.”
