Itanagar, March 11, 2026:
The Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO) has demanded the immediate cancellation of the Zilla Parishad Member (ZPM) post held by Bhagat Chetry, a non-APST, who was elected from Vijayanagar in Changlang district during the recently concluded Panchayati Raj elections.
Addressing media persons at the Arunachal Press Club on Tuesday, APIYO president Taro Sonam Liyak questioned how a non-APST candidate was allowed to contest and win from Vijayanagar, which falls under a Scheduled Tribe (ST) reserved Assembly constituency. He alleged that the development violates provisions meant to safeguard the rights and representation of indigenous tribal communities.
Liyak stated that allowing a non-APST individual to participate in Panchayati Raj elections in a tribal-reserved area undermines the protective framework provided under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873. According to him, such decisions by the district administration and concerned authorities could open the door for more non-APST participation in local governance structures in tribal areas.
The issue gained prominence after the Panchayat elections held in December, where Independent candidate Bhagat Chetry won the ZPM seat with a decisive margin. According to the final round of counting, Chetry secured 1,524 votes, defeating several local candidates. His nearest rival, Ngiyonu Ngawazah (BJP), received 918 votes, while Ngwayoza Yobin (Independent) secured 698 votes. Other candidates included Atibosa Yobin (INC) with 131 votes and Manzil Thakuri (Independent) with 36 votes. Chetry ultimately won the election by a margin of 606 votes.
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| Bhagat Chetry receiving the ZPM election certificate from the Returning Officer. |
The result triggered criticism in the politically and ethnically sensitive border constituency, with several members of the local Yobin community raising objections to the eligibility of a non-APST candidate holding a Panchayat position in the area.
Members of the Yobin tribe have reiterated that non-APST settlers are not indigenous to Vijayanagar and therefore should not be eligible to hold Panchayat posts under the Arunachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act and the BEFR, 1873. In a press note issued on November 19, 2025, the Yobin community stated that non-APST settlers were earlier granted land on a 30-year lease, which expired in 2020.
Citing historical records and the 1961 Census, the community further maintained that Vijayanagar was originally inhabited exclusively by the Yobin people.
APIYO also claimed that local indigenous residents and student communities had raised objections to the participation of the non-APST candidate earlier but their concerns were not addressed by the district administration and concerned representatives.
The organisation said it has already submitted a representation to the Chief Minister seeking immediate intervention and cancellation of Chetry’s ZPM post. Liyak warned that if the government fails to respond to their demand, the organisation may take further steps.
Local community members have also stated that the election outcome has raised broader concerns regarding representation in local self-governance in the border constituency, highlighting the need for clarity and strict adherence to existing rules governing Panchayat elections while safeguarding the interests of indigenous residents.
