Aizawl, Jan 23: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Wednesday said his government needs village and local councils that can work with the state administration to bring sustainable development.
His comment comes ahead of the polling to 544 village councils in nine districts and 111 local councils within Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC) on February 12.
Lalduhoma, the ZPM leader, announced the names of party candidates for village council elections in the Thenzawl block in central Mizoram’s Serchhip district.
The chief minister claimed that government schemes and facilities often fail to reach the public when village and local councils, where opposition parties are in power, refuse to cooperate with the government.
“This impedes development in such village and local councils,” he said.
“As per our experience, it is highly imperative that VCs and LCs cooperate with the government in order to bring development. So, we are in dire need of VCs and LCs that work hand-in-hand with the government to bring sustainable development,” Lalduhoma said.
He also urged the ZPM workers across the state to wholeheartedly support party candidates in the upcoming civic polls.
Counting of votes for the coming Village Council (VC) and Local Council polls will be held from 7 pm or as soon as polling is over on February 12.
The State Election Commission (SEC) fixed the last date for filing nominations on January 23, while candidates can withdraw their papers till January 27.
Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on January 24.
According to the SEC, there are 2,416 seats in 544 VCs of which 613 are reserved for women.
In 111 LCs within AMC and LMC, there are 723 seats, of which 195 are reserved for women, it said.
There are 4,37,708 voters, including 2,22,098 women in 544 VCs, while 2,44,726 electors are eligible to vote in 87 LCs within AMC and 41,206 within LMC, which comprises 24 local councils.
Meanwhile, the SEC has directed the superintendents of police of nine districts where VC and LC polls are scheduled on February 12 to probe into fake news spread on social media.
The SEC, in a statement, said that fake news which read that candidates belonging to BPL families are not eligible to contest in the upcoming polls is being spread on social media.
The commission took the matter seriously and urged SPs of the nine districts to probe into it, the statement said.
According to the SEC, there is no prescribed qualification or eligibility criteria for a candidate to contest the VC or LC polls.(PTI)
