Mizoram governor Hari Babu Kambhampati imposed governor’s rule in Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC), one of the three tribal autonomous constitutional bodies in Mizoram, for six months, under provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
As per a notification issued on March 15, the deputy commissioner of Lawngtlai district has been appointed as caretaker on behalf of the governor to exercise such functions or powers vested in or exercisable by the LADC with immediate effect.
The suspension of the Lai ADC followed a resignation tendered by V Zirsanga, chief executive member (CEM) of the council on March 7, minutes before the special session of the LADC commenced to consider a no-trust move against him by 13 members of the district council (MDCs) which included 9 members of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF).
The political uncertainty further snowballed after one of the 13 MDCs who had appealed to the governor for a floor test, returned to the Zirsanga camp resulting in both the opposing camps having 12 MDCs each. LADC now has 24 members after an independent member – Lorrain Lalpekliana Chinzah – was elected as a member of the Mizoram legislative assembly on Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) ticket in the election to the state assembly held on November 7 last.
Trouble in the LADC’s MNF government began brewing after Zirsanga (65) was convicted under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and sentenced to 4-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 4 lakh by the Special Court (Prevention of Corruption) in Aizawl on January 22.
He was convicted for misappropriation of huge amounts of funds while he was holding the post of executive member (EM) education in the LADC.
Though the Gauhati high court set aside Zirsanga’s conviction and sentence by releasing him on bail and admitted his appeal, disgruntled MDC wanted him to discontinue as CEM. While his resignation as leader of the MNF legislature party was rejected by the legislature party, rebellion in the party raised its head with the support of one member of the BJP and Congress and 2 independents.
The LADC is an autonomous council for ethnic Lai people, formed under the sixth schedule of the Constitution on April 29, 1972. The council exercises legislative, executive, and judiciary powers over allotted departments within the territory of LADC.
