Manipur Assembly passes Bill on Inner Line Permit

The Manipur Assembly unanimously passed a private members Bill on the Inner Line Permit System and urged the Centre to help the state to implement it

The Manipur Assembly on Friday unanimously passed a private members Bill on the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) and urged the Centre to help the state to implement it,as a public curfew was called in support of the regulation by a local committee from Thursday midnight.

The passage of the Bill was preceded by a Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh seeking the Centres help in implementing the regulation,which would restrict entry of outsiders to the Congress-ruled state.

The Cabinet meeting on Thursday night was held hours before the public curfew called by the Joint Action Committee on ILPS,which is steering the agitation.

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The decision came after the Cabinet failed to take a stand on the matter twice earlier.

The Cabinets decision came on the heels of widespread agitation in Imphal East,Imphal West,Thoubal and Bishenpur districts demanding implementation of the ILPS,which is in force in neighbouring Mizoram,Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

In the Assembly,the private members resolution was moved by three opposition members belonging to the Trinamool Congress Ibohalbi Singh,Th Shyamkumar and Th Biswajit.

The three members said it was time to implement the ILPS in view of influx of outsiders who outnumbered the tribal population in the state.