IMPHAL, December 10: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has today expressed doubt that his government will be able to introduce a Bill on the implementation of the inner Line Permit System in the State during the upcoming Winter session of the 10thManipur Legislative Assembly.
The three-day long session will start from December 18 and conclude on December 21.
Addressing media persons at the conference hall of his official bungalow this evening, the Chief Minister said he is yet to study the report of the All Political Parties Committee on Inner Line Permit System.
Earlier during the press conference, chairman of the political committee Gaikhangam had handed a report of the committee to the Chief Minister. The report which is 280-pages long has six points.
Studying the report will take some time, Ibobi said adding that it would be wrong to comment on the report without first reading it.
The Chief Minister said that the issue is a very delicate and sensitive and the first step of the government is to send it to the Law department for examination and then introduce it as a Bill.
Introduction of a Bill also requires the Governor`™s assent `“ which is constitutionally mandatory `“ so any preparation to introduce a Bill requires opinions of constitutional experts and law experts, he asserted.
He continued that the Governor can even express desire to send the Bill to the President, Union Ministers of Law and Home before giving his assent, the Chief Minister elaborated.
At the same time, if there is any need to pay fees to the constitutional and law experts for their consultation, the State government considering the nature of the issue will do the needful, he said.
Considering all these issues, the State government would like cooperation from the leaders of the JCILPS to expedite the process of introducing a Bill based on the report he continued adding that the government has the same desires as the public.
After submitting two copies of the report to the Chief Minister, chairman of the All Political Parties Committee on ILPS Gaikhangam said the committee was formed on August 6 under the initiative of the Chief Minister inside his chamber.
He said the committee had taken opinions from 35 renowned individuals including legal experts, scholars and some from CSOs.
The committee even went to former Chief Minister RK Dorendro`™s residence, as he was unwell at the time, to take his opinion, however, the committee couldn`™t meet Justice (retd) WA Sishak as he was out of station at the time, he said.
The members of the committee must also want copies of the report, however, as for the time being it is being kept as `secret,`™ Gaikhangam said adding that the report would certainly helped in enacting a law concerning the issue of ILPS, he added.
He continued that committee member MLA Dr Ng Bijoy Singh who is presently at Jharkhand and committee convenor MLA RK Anand who is also out of station on medical grounds are unable to attend the press conference.
Today press conference was also attended by members Dr M Nara of CPI, Ksh Shanta of CPM, Dr I Ibohalbi Singh of AITC. N Sovakiran of MPP, N Biren Singh of Congress, Kabita Devi of BSP, Manihar Goswami of JD (S), M Tombi Singh of JD (U), Th Manihar of AAP, L Ibomcha of NCP and K Shyam Singh of LJSP.