As the Chakma Autonomous District Council in Mizoram heads towards elections on April 20, the whiff of corruption grows stronger. Earlier this month, Governor Nirbhay Sharma directed the office of the accountant general of Mizoram to investigate allegations that 60% of the over Rs 10.6 crore sanctioned to the council has been siphoned off by the Congress party, currently in government in Mizoram. Assembly elections are due to be held later this year.
On March 28 and April 9, the main opposition party, the Mizo National Front had submitted complaints about the alleged corruption in the council to the governor. It was an urgent matter that needed to be investigated by an impartial body, the party argued, preferably by the office of the accountant general.
Top officials in both the Raj Bhavan at Aizawl and the principal accountant general’s office said Sharma forwarded the complaints to the audit body on April 11 with a direction that the matter be investigated.
A Chakma council
The Chakmas are a minority scheduled tribe in Mizoram. The 20-member district council was formed under the Sixth Schedule in 1972 to protect the rights of the Buddhist tribal community. Located in Lawngtlai district, the council covers a population of about 43,307, according to the 2011 Census, which means it holds about half of the ethnic Chakmas in the state.
It is one of several autonomous district councils in Mizoram but has fared much worse than other parts of the state on various development indices, such as roads, electricity, education and healthcare. Residents have protested several times against illegal, unfair job recruitments and the lack of progress. Meanwhile, the council, on which the Congress occupies 18 of the 20 seats, is riven by political infighting.
For years, council leaders have lobbied for direct funding from the Centre and greater autonomy. The governor’s move is the latest blow to the council, which has been plagued by massive corruption charges. Twice in the last seven months, the council has been dissolved and placed under governor’s rule because of financial irregularities.
Corruption cases
Two separate commissions of inquiry were set up to study the misuse of funds and powers. Both the comptroller and auditor general and the state government’s director of local fund audit have unearthed massive financial malpractices.
It was revealed that the council had misused vehicle maintenance funds for expenses such as purchasing .22 airguns. Different chief executive members were found to have withdrawn over Rs 100 lakh from the treasury for their own use. Other council members were also misuing funds meant for agricultural development, funds which were meant to be disbursed to beneficiaries. Irregularities in contracts for infrastructure works have also been unearthed.
Meanwhile, rules for job recruitment have been regularly flouted in the council, where over 90% of all the funds go towards salaries in a local government structure that employs up to 1,600 people. There is, however, no official estimate of how many staff are needed in the 20-odd departments functioning under it.
Several Council leaders also having been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act by the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Chakma student and youth groups have organised protests against what has turned out to be a massive scam in local government recruitments.
Switching commissioners
But that is not all: the state government led by Congress Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has also drawn allegations that it was trying to scupper the two commissions of inquiry. Lawngtlai district deputy commissioner, Arun T, headed one of these commissions. He was said to be popular in the region because of his pro-development and reform initiatives.
Arun T was transferred out on March 22. It was the same day that governor’s rule was imposed on the council for the second time, taking note of his report about continuing malpractices in local government recruitments.
The chief minister told the state assembly that he would be replaced by a local officer, as residents of the area had requested. He was replaced by N Chakhai, a Mizoram Civil Service Officer. But it was a move that drew immediate protest from various local civil society organisations, who stated they wanted Arun T to remain. Some even appealed to Chakhai to not join his new post.
Political tangle
Meanwhile, endless infighting within the Congress over the last five years has resulted in political instability. At least four different Congress politicians succeeded each other to the post of chief executive member.
But the Congress, it seems, is unfazed by these dissensions, fielding many of the same members as candidates for these elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Mizo National Front are the three main parties in the fray for the council elections. The Chakmas form a majority in one assembly constituency and a significant presence in at least three others.