State Assembly reaffirms 2015 resolution
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 22 2017: The Manipur Legislative Assembly has today reaffirmed the resolution adopted by the same House on August 31, 2015 .

The resolution says that prior consent of State legislatures of affected State(s) should be obtained mandatorily while forming new State and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing States .

The House resolved to reaffirm the particular resolution after discussing a private member resolution raised by MLAs Kh Joykisan, K Ranjit, Surajkumar Okram, N Loken and K Govindas .

Although the private member resolution sought adoption of a resolution to urge the Government of India to amend Article 3 of the Constitution, some Members of the House pointed out certain loopholes in the private member resolution .

Subsequently, the private member resolution was modified and the State Assembly unanimously resolved to reaffirm the resolution adopted on August 31, 2015 .

Raising the private member resolution, Kh Joykisan said that there were still threats to the integrity and territorial boundary of Manipur .

Although every one welcomes the peace talk going on between Government of India and NSCN-IM, the rebel outfit's demand to bring all Naga inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and even Myanmar under one administrative roof causes encumbrance to one and all, he remarked .

Article 3 of the Constitution authorises the Government of India to alter boundaries, areas and names of States .

When Telengana was carved out from Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the Government of India did not seek consent of the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly, Joykisan pointed out .

He then urged the House to adopt a resolution for amendment of Article 3 so that prior consent of all State legislatures is made mandatory before changing boundaries, areas and name of any State .

N Loken stated that the matter needs reaffirmation of the House even though it was discussed repeatedly earlier .

Manipur was literally put on flames when the clause 'without territorial limits' was incorporated in the cease fire agreement signed between Government of India and NSCN-IM in June, 2001 .

At that time, NDA was in power at the Centre .

Now, there is an NDA Government at the Centre while a coalition Government led by BJP has been established in the State .

Even though a Framework Agreement was signed two years back on August 3, 2015, no Central leaders or BJP leaders have ever revealed anything about it .

For all these reasons, the private member resolution was raised even though the matter has been discussed repeatedly in the State Assembly, Loken said .

Taking part in discussing the private member resolution, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Y Joykumar remarked that the private member resolution has some loopholes, and it would not go well if it is misconstrued .

Chief Minister N Biren stated that the Government understands the underlying spirit behind the private member resolution .

The private member resolution may be tabled in the form of a Bill and the House may pass it, Biren said .

Opposition leader and former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi suggested that the House may take sometime to plug in whatever loopholes are there in the private member resolution .

It does not make any difference whether the issue is tabled in the form of private member resolution or a Government Bill, Ibobi stated .

After Speaker Y Khemchand adjourned the session for half an hour, the State Assembly unanimously resolved to reaffirm the resolution adopted on August 31, 2015 .

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