Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Aizawl: The Mara Autonomous District Council in Mizoram passed an emergency amendment on Tuesday. Members can no longer hold seats in the state Assembly or Parliament while serving on the council. This rule change forces anyone elected to state or federal office to resign their council seat immediately. It also works the other way around.
The move complies with a July 20 Supreme Court judgment. The court rejected a previous Gauhati High Court ruling that allowed for dual membership. That court had claimed Articles 101 and 190 of the Constitution did not strictly forbid holding seats in both an Autonomous District Council and a state legislature.
Rustom Chakma, a social worker from Lawngtlai, started this legal fight. He challenged the Mara and Chakma councils after they removed the restrictions. The Supreme Court eventually stepped in, noting the need for consistency. The court specifically stated that "autonomous district councils in Mizoram should be placed on an equal footing" regarding these limitations. While the Mara and Chakma councils had previously ditched the rule, the Lai Autonomous District Council kept it intact.
The Chakma Autonomous District Council already fixed its rules in August. Now, the Mara council has followed suit. The court gave the bodies three months to restore the ban. This action brings the Mara council back into line with the rest of the state.
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