ATSUM, TYCM object Bills
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, September 01 2015: All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) and Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM) submitted a memorandum to the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) Chairman Dr Chaltonlien Amo opposing the Bill No-16, 2015 and Bill No-17, 2015 introduced in the Manipur Legislative Assembly in its emergency session on August 28 .

The memo signed by ATSUM General Secretary Vareiyo Shatsang and TYCM Secretary LH Decemhring said "With respect to Bill No 17 of 2015, in the third line of the word five (5) Hill Districts appeared and in the third line of Section 2, Clause (1) 14 A of the third line the word "any Land in the State" of Manipur indicates that it includes Hill Areas covering 90 % of the total area of the State of Manipur.

Further in Sub-Clause of Section 2 in the third and fourth line, the word "Classification of Land Area" is mentioned that implies the land belonging to Hill Areas is also included" .

The memo said allotment of land, occupation and use of land and setting apart of land of the Hill Areas are within the purview of the HAC guaranteed under item 3 of the Scheduled matters of the Second Scheduled of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) order, 1972 .

Therefore, this matter must be referred to the HAC before the finalisation of the Bill.

By virtue of Article 371 C, the Cabinet is incompetent to consider the matter without the consent and knowledge of the HAC.

On the other hand, with respect to Bill No-16 of 2015 the phrase "Small Hill states" which appeared in the first line of the statement of objects and reasons submitted by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, asserting that it is strongly objected due to the fact that the phrase " Small Hill State " in the state of Manipur is equivalent 90 % of land and about 40% of population.

As such, this subject matter also falls within the purview of HAC constituted under Article 371 C of the Constitution.

Therefore, the matter must be referred to the HAC for Consideration.

With regard to Bill No-16 of 2015, it is strongly objectionable that the section 2 provides that it extends to the whole State of Manipur and section 2 Clause (6) defines the meaning of "Manipur people" which reads "persons of Manipur whose names are in the register of citizen, 1951, Census Report 1951 and their descendants who have contributed collective social culture and economic life of Manipur.

As per items of the Scheduled matters of the Second Scheduled of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (HAC) order, 1972 which reads "the Establishment of village Committee or Councils and other matters relating to Village Administration and item 9 and 12, the establishment and abolition of villages and counting of the numbers of villages in the matter of payment of Hill House Tax are made by the respective village Headmen/Chiefs as per item No-9 of the said scheduled matters.

As such, Registration of Citizens and Census Report in the Hill Areas are absolutely within the purview of the HAC for consideration or in the alternative, a sub-Committee to examine the matter may be constituted.

It is therefore, requested to all the MLAs of the HAC to discharge their duties and responsibilities faithfully according to the provisions guaranteed in the Constitution of India otherwise you will be answerable to the people, the memo added.

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