Law Minister releases IEC handbooks
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 22 2019: In view of the growing need for creating awareness about laws and legislations among the common masses, Law & Legislative Affairs Minister L Jayantakumar released today Information, Education and Communication (IEC) handbooks on eight legislations in Manipuri version and five different tribal dialects at Kuki Inn, Imphal.

The Manipuri version of IEC handbook was released both in Meitei Mayek and Bengali scripts while the six tribal dialects through which the IEC handbooks have been released include Thadou Kuki, Paomei dialect, Tangkhul dialect, Rongmei dialect and Paite dialect.

Law Minister releases IEC handbooks

The handbooks released today were written on eight legislations, namely the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the Immortal Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, the Special Marriage Act, 1954, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, the Family Courts Act, 1984 and Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971 .

The function organized Law & Legislative Affairs Department was graced by Law & Legislative Affairs Minister L Jayantakumar, Secretary (Law & Legislative Affairs), Nungshitombi Athokpam and Advocate General N Kumarjit Singh as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

Speaking at the function, Jayantakumar who was a practising advocate before entering politics underscored the importance of laws in the regulation of a society and in establishing a civilized society.

He said that the sense of law exists in human psyche by nature since the time they acquire the capability to think as humans and they all want to live under a common entity or system.

In order to fulfil this common aspiration of human beings (to live under a common entity or system), certain norms in common have been followed as regulation of conducts in the society.

With the passage of time and as man became civilized the set of norms or system to be followed by a society have been transformed in the form of laws or set of rules for the purpose of maintaining peace and security in a society or State.

With the human civilization in a very advanced stage, concepts about fundamental rights and duties have evolved and included in laws/Constitution, more particularly in a democracy.

Now, it is because of the existence and enforcement of laws in a State or country that one can approach certain authorities to seek justice when someone infringes or violates his/her rights while the authorities punish or award penalties to the law breakers.

Hence, laws are meant for delivering justice and laws should be able to deliver justice to the people, he added.

Noting that law ignorant people or people who do not understand laws may unknowingly break laws and forfeit their own rights which are guaranteed under the Constitution, the Law & Legislative Affairs Minister continued that it has become a duty of the Government to make its citizens aware about laws.

It is also the duties and responsibilities of every citizen to understand laws as Court does not accept anyone's ignorance of general law, he said.

Further pointing out that cases of human rights violations, human trafficking and child labour etc have increased in the State and in many other parts of the world while many have been complaining about curtailing their fundamental rights, Jayantakumar stressed on the essentiality of making the common people aware about the general laws and basic points contained in laws.

Exuding confidence that the handbooks released today will go a long way towards creating awareness about laws among the masses, the Minister went on to appeal to the public to try to understand laws and then educate illiterate people about laws so that there is peaceful coexistence and good governance in the State.