Manipur: Tribal Rights' Forum calls for 48-hour bandh along national highways

By Halley Nongmaithem

IMPHAL:

The All Tribal Rights’ Protection Forum Manipur (ATRPFM) has informed that it will impose a bandh on the Jiribam road including the Imphal to Dimapur road from 7:00 pm of January 6, to 7:00 pm of January 8.

The forum decided to impose the bandh after the state government failed to issue a notification concerning the ADC (Autonomous District Council) election or extend the term of the ADCs despite repeated appeals.

No movement of vehicles will be allowed, and all public transporters and private vehicles are to cooperate with the proposed bandh, the forum stated in a press release.

According to the forum, the term of the ADC members had expired in May 2020, and the notification should have been issued beforehand.

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“In an interim order passed by the Manipur High Court on November 27, 2020, with a direction to the state government, the term of the ADCs is extended till the next date of hearing which is on December 9, 2020, and necessary order to be issued by the state government, in that regard, by November 30, 2020,” the forum stated.

However, the state government issued an order of supersession on

November 30, 2020, "in total disregard and disobedience of the court order."

“The High Court of Manipur suspended the order dated November 30 till the next hearing and the matter was put up on December 18, 2020, before the High Court and the court passed an order that the interim order dated December 9, 2020, shall be extended till January 12, 2021, and the matter is to be heard on January 13, 2021,” the forum added.

Besides, the forum stated that the incumbent members of the ADCs are still the members of the ADCs and should be allowed to discharge their duties till the final order of the Manipur High Court.

(Edited by Ladiangti Rani)

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