Politics / Manipur

IMPHAL, April 3: The disqualification order passed by the state Speaker in November last year against the agriculture minister, Thangminlien Kipgen has been revived by the Supreme Court, according to a reliable report from New Delhi. According to the report, the Supreme Court today vacated the two earlier orders of the Gauhati High Court, which had stayed the operation of the Speaker's order of November 17, 2000, disqualifying Thangminlien Kipgen under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. Mention may be made that the November 17 order of the Speaker, Sapam Dhananjoy, was stayed on November...

IMPHAL, April 3: Security forces have resumed counter-insurgency operations in Manipur after holding fire for over a month. The resumption of counter-insurgency operations follows the Union home ministry's rejection of a proposal to extend the duration of the Yaoshang (Holi) ceasefire by another month. Sources said Army and Assam Rifles personnel had apprehended eight militants since resuming operations yesterday. Police are, however, yet to resume their offensive against militant outfits. Director-general of police D.S. Grewal told The Telegraph today that the state government was yet to...

IMPHAL, April 3: With the expiry of the unilateral ceasefire offered by the state government on march 31, Assam Rifles and Army have resumed counter insurgency operations. However the State police force is yet to resume CI ops. Sources said Army and Assam Rifles operations as most of the underground outfits had reacted negatively to the truce offer and the Union Home Ministry had expressed strong reservations against the extension of the ceasefire by another month as decided by the Cabinet. However the State police force is yet to resume counter insurgency operations. Talking to The Sangai...

IMPHAL, April 3: Unidentified militants have forced closure of three schools here for allegedly not paying ransom money, official sources said today, reports PTI. Sources said the Little Flower High School, St Joseph's School and St George School have been closed down for an indefinite period following the demand for payment of huge amount from some underground organisations. School authorities have notified that schools would remain closed until further orders without showing reason. Sources in the schools said that some valley-based insurgent outfits had demanded huge amount from the...

IMPHAL, April 1: The two factions of the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) have started trading charges, though most of the legislators are undecided over which side to support. Sources said the two factions - one led by former Chief Minister W. Nipamacha Singh and the other by Union minister of state for food processing Th. Chaoba Singh - are trying to establish themselves as the "real MSCP". Though the party has split into two camps at the organisational level, a distinctive division is yet to surface in its legislature wing. The MSCP is the single largest party in the Manipur Assembly...

IMPHAL, April 1: Even as the olive branch is being offered, in all, 19 persons including a six-year-old girl were killed in different insurgency and counter-insurgency related incidents during the first-ever month-long "unilateral ceasefire" announced by the Radhabinod Koijam-led People's Front Ministry to all the underground outfits operating in Manipur. The unilateral ceasefire which came into force from March 1, came to an end on Saturday without having any positive response from the underground outfits though Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam himself has reportedly claimed of having...

IMPHAL, March 29: The Gauhati High Court (Imphal Bench) has quashed the February 13 order of Manipur Assembly Speaker Sapam Dhananjoy declaring former Chief Minister Nipamacha Singh and seven others as "unattached' members of the House, reports PTI. Justice JN Sharma gave the ruling on Tuesday after final hearing of the writ petition filed by Nipamacha Singh, M Kunjo (present Manipur Industries Minister) and K Biren (present Civil Supply Minister). The petitioners had sought quashing of the Speaker's order on grounds that it was unconstitutional. While quashing the impugned order, the judge...

IMPHAL, March 31: Uncertainty prevails over the extension of unilateral ceasefire with militant outfits in Manipur for another month as Union home minister L.K. Advani has expressed his reservations on the issue. A final decision is likely only after Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam returns from New Delhi. The state Cabinet had endorsed the decision to extend the unilateral ceasefire for another month taken by an all political parties meeting chaired by Koijam on March 28. It had decided to extend the ceasefire after consulting the Centre. Sources said Advani told Koijam yesterday that he was...

IMPHAL, March 31: Not withstanding the observation of Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam in New Delhi yesterday that the unilateral ceasefire may not be extended by another month as decided earlier, the state government is yet to take a final decision on the matter. Divulging this to The Sangai Express this afternoon Law Minister O Joy who is currently in charge as Chief Minister said that the State Cabinet had endorsed the decision of the all-party meet to prolong the unilateral ceasefire by another month. The Cabinet had also decided to consult the matter with New Delhi. The unilateral...

IMPHAL, March 31: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ruled out any possibility of extending the "unilateral ceasefire" by the Centre to all the underground outfits operating in Manipur. According to a report received here, the objection to the extension of truce proposed by the People's Front Ministry of the State, was reportedly communicated by the Union Home Minister LK Advani to the State Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam who is presently camping in Delhi.