IMPHAL, March 23: The All Political Parties Committee on the implementation of Inner Line Permit System in Manipur, had a meeting again today to discuss the objections raised against the Manipur Regulation of Visotors, Tenants and Migrant Workders Bill 2015, in particular by the JCILPS.
The Bill, it may be recalled, was introduced during the 10th session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly on March 13 and after an intense discussion on the floor of the House, passed on March 16.
Today`™s meeting was initiated by the Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi, who extended formal invitation to the members of the committee. The meeting held at the Chief Minister`™s cabinet secretariat hall from 4.30pm to 6pm, was prompted by the objection to the Blll by the JCILPS and supporters, an official source said.
The Manipur People`™s Party, MPP, which is planning a sit-in protest against the Bill tomorrow at its party complex, however did not send any of its representatives to the meeting, the source said.
Today`™s meeting discussed threadbare points raised by the JCILPS on the matter of cut off year for deciding who is domicile and who is visitor, the definition of `permanent resident`, `visitor` and `tenant` etc, the source said.
Members present in the meeting were of the opinion that a joint sitting of the All Parties Committee and the JCILPS is called for to try and resolve these issues to the satisfaction of all, the source added.
There was however no consensus reached on the question of whether the Government should be represented in such a meeting, or whether it should be only between the All Parties Committee and the JCILPS, the source further said.
Among Government representatives present in today`™s meeting were besides the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Gaikhangam and Law Minister, Thoudam Devendra Singh, the source added.
However, N Sovakiran, the president of the MPP which did not send any representatives to today`™s meeting told IFP that the Bill is a betrayal of the people`™s wishes as well as the commitment given by the Government to the All Parties Committee.
The MPP will go ahead and hold its protest sit-in at its office complex from 10am to 4pm tomorrow, Sovakiran said.
