Manipur government decides to form draft committee for new bill

Imphal: An all-party meet chaired by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has decided to constitute a drafting committee to prepare a new Bill for protection of the indigenous people of Manipur, where a 12-hour bandh was today called by Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS).

The decision comes a day after state Assembly unanimously withdrew the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers (MRVTMW) Bill, 2015. CPI(M) Manipur unit secretary Sarat Salam said. That the meeting headed by the chief minister decided to form the drafting committee and aims to come out with the new bill within a month.

Salam said the meeting also decided to appeal to JCILPS to extend cooperation to the initiative by all political parties and state government by suspending the ongoing agitation.

The CPI(M) demanded at the meeting that the drafting committee should consult all other stakeholders in drafting the new Bill.

Another CPI(M) state leader Ksh Santa who attended the all-party meet said his party suggested to form a third group to mediate between government and agitators to solve the ongoing dead-lock and also to check police excesses during ILP movement.

Naga People's Front (NPF), Manipur People's Party (MPP) and BJP were absent at the meeting which was attended by other recognised parties in the state including Manipur State Congress Party, Trinamool Congress besides ruling Congress and the Left.

Acting convenor of JCILPS Kh Ratan earlier told media that they had turned down the invitation of the state government to have a talk since JCILPS did not have confidence in the present regime.

The JCILPS claimed its 12-hr state-wide bandh today demanding early introduction of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) Bill evoked good response from people. A police official said life was disrupted in the shutdown in state capital and many other places.

Before transacting any business in the meeting, members of all parties condoled the death of Sapam Robinhood, a class XI student of Ananda Singh Higher Secondary Academy, who was killed during a clash between the protestors and the police on July 8. His family is yet to take the body.