The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971

(1) This Act may be called the Manipur (Hill Areas) District CouncilsAct, 1971. (2) It extends to the whole of the Union territory of Manipur.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) "Administrator" means the administrator of the Union territory of Manipur appointed underarticle 239 of the Constitution; (b) "autonomous district" means an autonomous district referred to in sub-section (1) of section 3; (c) "building" includes a house, out-house, stable, latrine, urinal, shed, hut, wall (other thanboundary wall) and any other structure (whether of masonry, bricks, wood, mud or other material) butdoes not include any portable or temporary shelter; (d) "constituency" means a District Council constituency provided by order made under section 5for the purpose of elections to the District Council; (e) "Deputy Commissioner", in relation to any District Council, means the officer appointed assuch by the Administrator, by notification in the Official Gazette, to perform the functions of theDeputy Commissioner under this Act in the autonomous district for which such District Council hasbeen constituted; (f) "Hill Areas" means the Hill Areas determined by the President by any notification issuedunder sub-section (2) of section 52 of the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 (20 of 1963)and in force immediately before the commencement of this Act; (g) "Hill Areas Committee" means the Standing Committee referred to in section 52 of theGovernment of Union Territories Act, 1963 (20 of 1963); (h) "market" includes any place where persons assemble for the sale of, or for the purpose ofexposing for sale of, meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, animals intended for human food or any otherarticles of human food whatsoever with or without the consent of the owner of such placenotwithstanding that there may be no common regulation for the concourse of buyers and sellers andwhether or not any control is exercised over the business of, or the persons frequenting, the market bythe owner of the place or by any other persons; (i) "member" means a member of a District Council constituted under this Act; (j) "Official Gazette" means the Gazette of the Union territory of Manipur; (k) "person" does not include a body of persons; (l) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (m) "Scheduled Tribes" has the same meaning assigned to it in clause (25) of article 366 of theConstitution; (n) "vehicle" includes a carriage, cart, hand-cart, bicycle, tricycle and every wheeled conveyancewhich is used or is capable of being used on a street but does not include a mechanically propelledvehicle.

(1) As soon as may be after thecommencement of this Act, the Administrator shall cause all the Hill Areas to be divided into not morethan six autonomous districts. (2) The Administrator may, by order notified in the Official Gazette, (a) declare that any area in any autonomous district which is, or is intended to be, included withinthe limits of any municipality, cantonment or town committee shall cease to be a part of suchautonomous district; (b) increase the area of any autonomous district; (c) diminish the area of any autonomous district; (d) unite two or more autonomous districts or parts thereof so as to form one autonomous district; (e) define the boundaries of any autonomous district; (f) alter the name of any autonomous district. (3) No order under sub-section (2) shall be made by the Administrator except after consultation withthe Hill Areas Committee. (4) Any order made by the Administrator under sub-section (2) may contain such incidental andconsequential provisions as appear to the Administrator to be necessary for giving effect to the provisionsof the order.

(1) For each autonomous district thereshall be a District Council as from such date as the Administrator may, by notification in the OfficialGazette, appoint in this behalf. (2) The total number of seats in the District Council to be filled by persons chosen by direct electionon the basis of adult suffrage from territorial constituencies shall be not more than eighteen. (3) The Administrator may nominate not more than two persons, not being persons in the service ofGovernment, to be members of any District Council.

The Administrator shall, by order, determine (a) the constituencies (which shall be single member constituencies) into which an autonomousdistrict shall be divided for the purpose of election of members to the District Council of that district;and (b) the extent of each constituency.