House reaffirms 2015 resolution

Unanimous stand on amending Constitution to protect state boundary

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL July 21

Manipur Assembly today unanimously reaffirmed a resolution adopted in 2015 by the House to urge the Centre to amend the Article 3 of the Constitution to safeguard Manipur’s boundary.

“This House unanimously resolves to reiterate the Resolution No. 117 passed by this Hosue on 31 st August, 2015 for amendment of Article 3 of the Constitution of India by incorporating that the prior consent of the state legislature of the affected state(s) shall be mandatorily obtained while forming new state and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing states,” the resolution said.

The Speaker Yumnam Khemchand adjourned the afternoon session of the Assembly for half an hour to give time to both the ruling and Opposition members to draft the resolution together, as proposed by leader of the Opposition O. Ibobi Singh.

On August 31, 2015 the Assembly adopted a resolution seeking amendment of the Constititon. The resolution was moved by the former chief minister Ibobi. The government moved the resolution after the Centre and the NSCN (IM) had signed the Framework Agreement on August 3 in the same year.

The members agreed to adopt a House resolution after Ibobi Singh intervened into a debate on what kind of resolution should be adopted during a discussion of a private member resolution seeking amendment of the Article 3 of the Constitution.

The private member bill was moved by Congress members Kh. Joykishan, K. Ranjit, Surajkumar Okram, N. Loken Singh and K. Govindas.

When the movers pressed for passing the bill leader of the House and chief minister N. Biren Singh proposed to pass a resolution moved by the government, saying it would have more significance.

As Joykishan was adamant that the bill should be passed Ibobi Singh intervened, suggesting that instead of passing a private member bill, it should be a House resolution, as suggested by Biren. He also proposed an adjournment of some minutes for drafting the resolution together by the Opposition and ruling.

Earlier during the discussion on the private member bill deputy chief minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh insisted that the resolution moved by the Opposition members that reads “provided that in the case of Manipur, the Bill for this purpose shall be introduced in either House of Parliament except on the recommendation of President made on the unanimous decision of the Manipur Legislative Assembly,” is not agreeable with him and certain wordings in the resolution need to be changed.

“I cannot betray the people of Manipur and I cannot agree with this,” Joykumar remarked, adding it was in the larger interest of safeguarding the state boundary. “If the resolution is to be put up, it should not be faulty, he said.