HC issues notice
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 17 2018: Division Bench High Court of Manipur has directed the Central Government to provide a reply on August 20 regarding a PIL filed in connection with the present border pillar issue at Kwatha village.

The PIL was filed by one RK Joysana (64) s/o (L) Sanatomba of Moirangkhom Souhaijam Leira through his counsel Senior Advocate M Hemchand, assisted by Advocate Ajmal Hussain.

The PIL was listed before the Division Bench High Court of Manipur comprising Chief Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar and Justice N Kotiswar Singh against the Ministry of Home Affair (India) through its Special Secretary (Border Management), Ministry of External Affairs (India), the State of Manipur through Chief Secretary, Director GeneralBSF, DGP Manipur Police, DC Tengnoupal and DC Chandel as respondents.

The counsel of the petitioner submitted that the PIL has been filed to safeguard the rights and interest of the citizens by praying the Court to give necessary directions to the respondents to perform their duty, as directed under Article 355 of the Constitution and other relevant laws, to protect the State against any external aggression and internal disturbances.

The PIL further prayed for giving direction to the respondents to discharge their duties/ obligations regarding the illegal encroachment of boundary line between Myanmar and Indian (Manipur) coupled with a direction to the respondent to do their statutory duties specifically, demarcation of border line/border fencing between Myanmar and India in view of all the records relating to the border line of Myanmar and India maintained by the authority since time immemorial at the earliest without any undue delay.

The counsel further submitted that the petition was filed after the recent incident of illegal encroachment of around 3 kilometres by Myanmar inside the territory of Kwatha village (Manipur) by erecting Border Pillar 81 as reported by the DC Tengnoupal in local dailies of the State on June 24.The counsel also submitted that delegates of the Opposition party also raised the border issue to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, as, reported on June 28 in the local dailies, and it was further apprised that seven Congress ML As of the State also visited and inspected the disputed Border Pillar 81.It was further submitted that the Indo-Myanmar border is not properly fenced, as required to be done as per the provision under the Article 355 of the Constitution, and as such the respondents have failed to fulfil their duty to safeguard the territorial boundary of the country.

The Court after hearing the submission of the petitioner's counsel directed the Central Government to provide a reply and listed the matter for hearing on August 20 .

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