The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, has announced the launch of the People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) from October 2 onwards across the country. Under this campaign, Gram Sabhas will be convened in every Gram Panchayat to prepare the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP). However, in Manipur, doubts have arisen over how the Gram Sabhas will be conducted since the terms of Panchayats have already expired, stated the Ad-hoc Committee of All Manipur Elected PRIs of 2017 in a press note.
Committee chairman Ph. Heramani Singh pointed out that according to Article 243-A under Part IX of the Indian Constitution, the Gram Sabha is a meeting of all registered voters of the Panchayat concerned, and not merely an assembly of Panchayat representatives. It is meant to function as a people’s institution, beyond the control of elected members alone. He added that while Gram Sabhas are being convened in other states to formulate GPDPs, the situation in Manipur remains uncertain because the Panchayat terms have ended.
The committee highlighted that with the expiry of Panchayat bodies, there is no clarity as to who will preside over and conduct the Gram Sabha in Manipur. As per Section 8 of the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, the Pradhan, Upa-Pradhan, or any member may preside over Gram Sabha meetings. But with their terms having ended, the state government has not issued any instruction on how Gram Sabhas will now be held.
The Ad-hoc Committee further alleged that denying the conduct of Gram Sabhas in such a manner is “undemocratic” and undermines the spirit of the Constitution. It urged the state government to take immediate steps to resolve the issue and ensure that Gram Sabha meetings are convened in a democratic manner, in line with constitutional and legal provisions.
