IMPHAL, Aug 21: Despite the Manipur cabinet recommending
Governor Anusuiya Uikey convene an assembly session from
August 21, the House did not sit on Monday as “no notification”
has been issued by Raj Bhavan so far, officials said, creating a
dilemma of sorts.
This comes after 10 Kuki MLAs, cutting across party affiliations,
had expressed their inability to attend the assembly session as
violence in the northeastern state continued.
“For a normal assembly session, a notification has to be issued
15 days before the beginning of it. No such notification has so
far been issued by the Governor’s office,” an official told PTI.
The state government had, however, asked for the session after
a cabinet meeting held earlier this month.
“The state cabinet has recommended to the Hon’ble Governor
of Manipur for summoning the 4th session of the 12th Manipur
Legislative Assembly on the 21st August, 2023,” an official
statement said on August 4.
The previous assembly session was held in March, and violence
broke out in the state in May.
“The last assembly session was adjourned sine die in March. It
is a constitutional obligation that the next session must be held
before September 2,” another official said.
Meanwhile, Congress Legislature Party Leader O Ibobi Singh on
Sunday said that “no assembly session has been convened even
after the Manipur cabinet decided to hold it”, adding that it is
“mandatory for the state assembly to hold a session every six
months”.
However, it is unclear whether Kuki MLAs will agree to join the
session.
“In view of the prevailing law and order situation, it will not be
possible on my part to attend the upcoming session,” LM
Khaute, BJP MLA for Churachandpur, one of the worst-hit
districts by the ongoing race riots, had earlier told PTI in a
telephonic interview.
For good measure, Khaute said that violence and the lack of a
resolution to demands made by the Kukis for a separate
administration “will not make it possible for all the Kuki-Zomi-
Hmar MLAs to attend the session”.
Naga MLAs had also said they would not be attending the
session as they felt Naga peace talks were being hindered by
the state government.
Responding to a media query, Chief Minister N Biren Singh had
earlier said that the assembly session would be convened
before September 2.
The violence in the state erupted in early May after a ‘Tribal
Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest
against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe
(ST) status.
Since then more than 160 people have died and several
hundreds were injured in ethnic clashes in Manipur.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population
and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include
Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the
hill districts. (PTI)
