Amid opposition Congress’ allegation of constitutional crisis, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey has summoned the 4th session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 29.
The Governor summoned the session following a recommendation by the state Cabinet after a meeting chaired by chief minister N Biren Singh on Monday reportedly recommended to the Governor to summon the session of the state assembly on August 29.
Interestingly, on August 21 , the Manipur Assembly Legislative Assembly secretariat notified the summoning of the session by an order of the Governor on the same day.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (1) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India, I, Anusuiya Uikey, Governor of Manipur, hereby summon the 4th session of the twelfth Manipur Legislative Assembly to meet at 11 am on Tuesday, the 29th August, 2023 in the Assembly Hall, Imphal,” the order of the Governor, dated August 21, 2023, stated.
Earlier, the state cabinet in its meeting on August 4 last recommended the Governor to summon the session of the state assembly on August 21. The session was, however, not held as the Governor did not formally summon the session.
As per the MPCC president, nor convening the normal session of the state Assembly, as per norm, members of the house have to be notified at least 15 days ahead of the scheduled session.
In case of Manipur, the last session of the Assembly was concluded on March 2 and the next session was to be convened on or before September 2 (within six months) and the notification should be issued on or before August 16.
Earlier, commenting on the state cabinet decision to recommend again the Governor on summoning the session on August 29, former chief minister and incumbent leader of the Congress Legislators’ Party (CLP) O Ibobi Singh said that if the Governor summons the session, it would not be a normal session which is mandatory to hold once in six months.
“To our opinion, the time to summon the normal session had already lapsed. So, we doubt whether it would not be a normal session or not,” Singh said.
Talking to reporters on the sideline of a function at Imphal Congress Bhavan to observe the 6th death anniversary of the former state chief minister and Congress leader Rishang Keishing, Singh added “Let’s see what the Governor said while summoning the session”.
Even if the Governor summoned the session with an assertion of “short notice”, there would be controversy when the question of terming the session as normal or emergency arises, he said. If the Governor happens to summon timely, such controversy might have been avoided, he opined.
At the same time, as the session is to be convened with a short notice to the members, it could not be ascertained whether there would be a meeting of the business advisory committee of the state Assembly to discuss the number of sitting(s) and the business of the house, he said.
Whatever the thing it may be, the Congress is ready to table issues currently confronted by the people of the state, including the unfolding crisis in the larger interest of the people, he said. A meeting of the party legislators will be convened before the session to discuss the party’s strategies and matters to be tabled in the house of the Assembly, he said.
MPCC president K Meghachandra observed that inability to convene the Assembly session timely showed that there was something in the government.
He said that as there are many reasons for terming the session to be convened on August 29 as “emergency session”, it will be “out of the rule” and will hamper efforts to bring an end to the prevailing crisis in the state.
Meghachandra said that if it is an emergency session, members will not be given the chance to raise questions and express their opinions on the prevailing crisis.
The rights of the MLAs have been deprived by the present government as it could not convene a normal session of the Assembly, he said. The MPCC president further observed if the Governor had acted beyond her power , a Governor cannot decline the recommendation of the state cabinet decision.
