Imphal, December 23: In a significant development, that could have far reaching consequences in the next few days, a private member resolution bill moved by four Opposition MLAs to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the State was defeated at the Assembly today.The private member resolution bill was raised by FPM MLAs L Ibomcha and I Hemochandra and MPP MLAs Dr Nimaichand Luwang and O Joy.

DPA Legislature leader RK Doendra of the BJP supported the resolition.

After a marathon debate, panel member of the Speaker, Dr M Nara, who presided today's proceedings in he absence of Speaker TN Haokip, called for a voice vote and declared the resolution defeated.

However O Joy and Dr Luwang raised a point of order and urged for a division vote (hand vote) invoking Rule 360, Sub Clause (III) of the State Assembly.

Here again too, the hopelessly outnumbered Opposition bench was defeated by the ruling bench (36 members).

Earlier moving the resolution, L Ibomcha said that the AFSPA is against the interest of the people and mooted that the House should pass a resolution for its complete repeal to exert the necessary pressure on the Centre.

Contesting the private member resolution, Chief Minister O Ibobi, who also holds the Home portfolio said that since the team constituted to review the Act is set to arrive here on December 27, it will not be right now for the House to pass a resolution at the moment.

Admitting that the security force has been trampling upon the rights of the people under the Act, the Chief Minister said the facts have all been highlighted to the Prime Minister, Home Minister and AICC chief Sonia Gandhi.

However as there is the threat to the integrity of India, the Centre was against the immediate revocation of the Act, he said.

Despite this constraint, the SPF Govt revoked AFSPA from the Imphal Municipal areas on a trial basis, added the CM.

Appealing to the Apunba Lup not to boycott the Review team, the CM said that the people should take this opportunity to air their stand to the panel for the repeal of the Act.

"I am also positive that the Prime Minister will keep his promises and will come out with an Act with a humane face," said the CM and added that the Government is also aware that the militant movements in Manipur cannot be solved through military might but only through dialogue.

Joining in the debate, Works Minister Th Debendra said that it would not be proper for the Assembly to take a resolution at the moment as the Review team is set to arrive here.

He added that it would be better if a House Committee is formed to look into the matter first.

Agriculture Minister P Parijat also joined the debate and said that instead of imposing a general strike on the arrival of the Review team, the people should be allowed to air their opinion to the panel.

Refusing the buy the line of the ruling bench, Dr Nimaichand Luwang said that it would be a gross error of judgement if the demand for the repeal of the AFSPA is linked to the underground movements here.

The two issues should be viewed separately, he advised and added that there is no ground to believe that militant activities will escalate if the Act is repealed.

Dr Luwang added that the time is just right for the House to pass such a resolution to exert the necessary pressure on the Centre.

Pitching in, O Joy said that despite the assurance of the Prime Minister that a humane Act will be enforced, the House should pass the resolution for its total repeal as it will strengthen the stand of the Government against the continued imposition of the Act.

Such a resolution will also be beneficial to the public, he mooted.

MLA I Ibomcha also questioned why the Centre has dubbed only the militant groups of the valley area as terrorists while not extending the same tag to the hill based groups, which have been indulging in extortion and kidnapping on the National highways.

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