Aizawl: The Mizoram government appointed Municipal Commissioner K Laldingliana the administrator of the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) as the term of the present board is due to expire on December 10, officials said on Tuesday.
The term expires on Thursday and the election could not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they said.
The state poll panel also suggested the government that in the wake of the COVID-19 situation in Aizawl city, holding elections is not in the interest of public health, Deputy Chief Minister Tawnluia said.
Section 13 (6) of Chapter 3 of The Mizoram Municipalities Act, 2007 provides that if for any reason it is not possible to hold elections before the expiration of the term, the municipal body will stand dissolved and the state government will designate a person as an administrator, he said.
“Under this circumstance, the state government designated Municipal Commissioner K Laldingliana as an administrator to look after the municipal corporation with effect from December 10 till such time election is conducted or until further order,” Tawnluia told reporters.
He said that a notification to this effect was issued by the government on Monday.
The administrator will exercise all power and perform duties vested on the municipal authorities till the election to the municipal body is held, Tawnluia said.
He said that the Municipal Act does not provide for the extension of the board”s term.
Opposition Zoram People”s Movement (ZPM) alleged that the Mizo National Front (MNF) government was reluctant to go for the elections as it did not find enough candidates to contest.
“The main reason behind delaying the polls is not COVID-19, but the ruling MNF unable to find suitable candidates,” ZPM vice president K Sapdanga said.
Tawnluia, who is the MNF”s senior vice president, rubbished the allegation, saying that selection of candidates is the subject of political parties and not the government.
There are 19 seats in the Aizawl Municipal Corporation, and six of them are reserved for women.
In the last municipal polls held in 2015, the MNF had bagged 11 seats, while the Congress won seven seats and the Mizoram People”s Conference got one. PTI
