IMPHAL, March 13: The sixth day of the 10th Session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly will be marked in the history of the State.
In what could be the first step towards the meeting the popular demand to introduce a legislation to safeguard the indigenous population of the State, the leader of the House Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has introduced the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill, 2015 in the House today.
This is the 8th Bill to be tabled in the House this year.
The Bill was introduced in the House today after obtaining the recommendations of the Governor of Manipur under clauses (1) and (3) of article 207 of the Constitution of India.
The introduction page of the 11-page Bill mentions that `A Bill to provide for registration of visitors, tenants and migrant workers for their safety and security and for maintenance of public order in the State of Manipur and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.`
In the short title, extent and commencement of the Bill mentioned, `This Act may be called the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Act, 2015.`
`It shall extend to the whole of the State of Manipur. It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette.`
Establishment of visitors`™ registration centres, registration of transit units, submission of visitor`™s details by the transit units and compilation of data of visitors are mentioned in the Chapter I of the Bill.
Establishment of tenants`™ registration centres, registration of tenants units, registration of tenants and issue of receipt to tenants and owner are mentioned in Chapter II.
Registration of contactors, registration of migrant workers, directorate or registration of visitors and tenants are mentioned in Chapter III. This chapter also mentioned `Every contractor who is registered under sub-section (1) of Section 10, shall furnish details of migrant workers to the Department of Labour and Director of Registration of Visitors and Tenants along with proof of identity, in such a form and in such manner as may be prescribed.`
`The Department of Labour shall issue pass to all such migrant workers who are registered under section (1) above through the contractor. The Department of Labour shall maintain the details of migrant workers in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed.`
In Chapter IV, `Establishment of Directorate of Visitors and Tenants` mentioned, `For the purpose of this act, the State Government shall establish a Directorate of Registration of Visitors and Tenants Consisting of a Director of Registration of Visitors and Tenants and as many officers and as it thinks fit.`
It further says `An officer not below the rank of Grade I of the Manipur Civil Service shall be appointed as the Director of registration of Visitors and Tenants.`
In the Chapter V of the Bill `Miscellaneous Provisions,` it said, `Any owner of transit unit who fails to register transit unit or who fails to submit returns of the visitors with the visitors`™ registration authority under sub-section (2) of section 5 shall be punishable with fine upto a maximum of twenty five thousand rupees.`
`Any owner of rental unit who fails to register the tenants with the tenants registering authority within the period specified in proviso to sub-section (1) of Section 8 shall be punishable with fine upto a maximum of ten thousand rupees. Any contractor who fails to register migrant workers as required under sub section (1) of section II, shall be punishable with fine upto fifty thousand rupees.`
However, Section 14 of the Bill said `the Provisions of this Act shall not apply to (1) the permanent residents of the State of Manipur (2) Persons employed, in connection with affairs of the Union Government, the State Government, Public or Private undertaking, a local authority or a body established by Law or students of educational institutions situated, in the State or such other persons as may be determined by the State Government from time to time.`