Extend House session, says political parties
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 15 2012: Seven non-Congress political parties of the State have demanded that the ensuing winter session of the State Legislative Assembly be extended to one week.

The State Government has failed to acknowledge the wishes of the people with its decision to cut down the period of Assembly session to two days on the excuse of having less number of agenda at a time when the State is surrounded with scores of serious issues including those which may break the territorial integrity of Manipur, the political parties said.

In a press conference held at Irawat Bhavan today, CPI State Secretary Dr M Nara said the State Government's plan is nothing but to undermine the principles of democracy as the State could not hold Assembly sessions for 30 days this year although there is an instruction from the Secretary General of the Parliament to have Assembly sessions for not less than 55 days in a year.

Demanding extension of the period of the ensuing winter session to not less than one week, Dr Nara questioned how the State Government could assume that there is less number of agenda at a time when the State is surrounded by scores of issues relating to bandhs, blockades, killings and territorial integrity.

JD(U) State Unit President Tombi said that there is no point to hold an Assembly session which does not have ample time to minutely discuss the issues of the people.

Sarat Salam of CPI (M) said major issues like Kuki State demand, standoff on SoO, Naga issue, corruption in Loktak cleaning works must be debated minutely with the extension of the Assembly session to one week.

These issues cannot be discussed in two days, he observed.

Maintaining that people are currently in trouble with the mismanagement of the O Ibobi led Government, a BJP leader said that the rate of corruption has increased during Ibobi's tenure.

He also demanded that measures relating to bringing development be discussed in detail during the ensuing Assembly session.

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