Mizoram government has right to curtail term of village councils: CM Lalduhoma

Mizoram Chief Minister and Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) leader Lalduhoma on Friday said the government has the right to curtail the term of village councils (VCs), a press statement by the ZPM said on Friday.

Addressing a meeting in Lunglei town on Thursday, Lalduhoma said preparations are underway to hold village council elections in February next. He emphasised that the current term of the VCs had already been extended due to the Covid.

"It is the prerogative of the government to curtail the term of VCs. The government can either curtail or extend their term as necessary," Lalduhoma said, adding that this had been done in the past as well.

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Mizoram Local Administration Minister C Lalsawivunga, on November 25 announced the reduction in the tenure of the existing village councils (VCs) in order to ensure effective management and utilisation of state funds.

Last week, the state local administration department had issued a notification which stated that the current term of the village councils in the state barring those within three autonomous district council areas in the southern part of the state, has been curtailed by six months and shall end on February 19 next year.

Addressing a party function at the ruling Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) office in Aizawl, Lalsawivunga said that another reason for curtailing the current VCs tenure is to adjust the extension caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.