IMPHAL, December 1: The State Cabinet has decided to extend the `Disturbed Area`™ status in all parts of Manipur for another year, excluding Imphal Municipal areas with effect from today.
The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting held this afternoon with Chief Minister O Ibobi in the chair at his secretariat office.
According to spokesperson of the government, M Okendro, who is also the minister of Education and CAF & PD, the decision was arrived at after due consideration of reports on law and order retained from security forces which include the military and central para-military forces operating in the State.
Further the minister informed that Section 3 of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 empowers the State government to extend `Disturbed Area`™ status in the State. As per the direction of the Supreme Court, the status has to be reviewed every six months taking into account the law and order situation in the State with the consent of the Chief Minister, he said.
He continued that in view of the prevailing law and order situation, with bomb blasts and other violent activities occurring in different parts of the State almost on a daily basis, the Cabinet has decided to extend the `Disturbed Area`™ status.
He also pointed out that today`™s meeting also decided to seek Manipur Governor`™s summon for the 9th session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly. The Session may tentatively begin from December 18, he added.
During the Session, the Shri Shri Govindaji Temple (Third Amendment) Bill, 2014 might be withdrawn following protest from different quarters against the Bill. However today`™s meeting did not take any concrete decision in this regard, the minister added.
It may be mentioned that the Bill was passed in the last Assembly Session. But the Governor has not given assent to it to become an Act. Many civil society bodies had protested against the Bill which stated that `Umang Lais`™ will be under the Pandit Loishang of the Shri Shri Govindaji Temple Board.