Manipur governor Anusuiya Uikey finally summoned session of Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 29 barely a day after the state cabinet once again recommended summoning the session.
A notification of the Manipur Legislative Assembly secretariat issued on August 22 said that the governor summoned the session quoting her order.
“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 said.
Earlier, the state cabinet in its meeting on August 21, once again, had recommended to the governor to summon the monsoon session of the state assembly on August 29, an official said.
The state cabinet had to re-recommend the governor as she failed to summon the session even as the state cabinet, in its one of the meetings held on August 4, recommended summoning the session on August 21 with the best reasons known to the government only.
The summoning of the assembly session came amid the allegations from the Congress that there was a constitutional crisis in the state when the governor failed to convene the session despite a recommendation by the state cabinet and time for summoning the normal session had already lapsed.
Citing rules under procedure and conduct of business of the state assembly, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president K Meghachandra had said that for convening the normal session which is mandatory to convene once in six months, the members are to be notified at least 15 days ahead of the scheduled session.
He had also observed that as the last session of the state assembly concluded on March 2, as per norm, the governor has to notify the summoning of the session on or before August 16. However, it was not done.
Earlier on the day, ahead of the governor’s order summoning the session, former chief minister and opposition leader Okram Ibobi Singh observed that the scheduled session would not be a normal session.
Talking to reporters on the sideline of a function at Imphal Congress Bhavan to observe the 6th death anniversary of former Manipur chief minister and Congress leader Rishang Keishing, Ibobi Singh observed that as the session is to be convened with a short notice, it will not be a normal session.
As the session is to be convened with a short notice, it could not be ascertained whether there would be a meeting of the business advisory committee of the state assembly, he said.
Whatever the thing it may be, the Congress is ready to table issues in the interest of the people of the state if the session is held, he said.
A meeting of the party legislators will be convened before the session to discuss issues of the state and its people which the opposition can table in the house of the assembly, the Congress leader also said.
