IMPHAL, April 24: The Election of Commission of India has ordered that the symbol of the MSCP, "Cultivator Cutting Crop" should not be used by any of the two contending parties till the issue is resolved. The EC in an order issued today stated if any candidate is put by either or both of the two contending parties for the Kshetrigao by-election then the candidate/s will be allotted different symbols from the existing list of free symbols. For the purpose of identifying the two groups the EC has dubbed the Nipamacha group as MSCP (N) and the Chaoba group as MSCP (C). The order of the EC said...

IMPHAL, April 24: The state Cabinet has given the green signal for constitution of a population commission for the state, and for framing the Manipur Dowry Prohibition Rules 2001. These decision were taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam this evening at the latter's bungalow. According to reliable sources, the law and order situation, and the financial crisis facing the state were among the main items of discussions during the meeting. Among other things, the Cabinet discussed ways and means to further strengthen the Manipur police and the...

IMPHAL, April 24: Altogether five candidates filed nominations papers for the Kshetrigao by-election which will be held on May 11. Former BJP vice-president Irengbam Sanatomba filed his nomination as Congress (1) candidate on the closing day today. The four other candidates are W Hemanta of MSCP (N), Vivek Raj Wangkhem of Samata, Laishram Somorjit of MSCP (C) and Md Muhamuddin Shah of RJD. Among the candidates, Md Muhamuddin Shah filed four nomination papers (two as an independent candidate) while Vivek Raj Wangkhem filed three nomination papers. Scrutiny will be held tomorrow at 11 am while...

NEW DELHI, April 24: In a development that may raise the hackles of the human rights bodies, the Minister of Home Affairs (MHA) has identified the Assam based Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) as among six Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) having links with the militant outfits. The fall out of the move is that all the state governments in the Northeastern Region have been alerted not to release any government funds to any NGO in the region without proper verification. It has been decided that the Union government would release funds to NGOs in the region only after physical verifications...

IMPHAL, April 24: Irate students of Catholic School, Canchipur gathered at the school gate today and made a bonfire of their school text books in protest against the closure of the school for the last one month. Police were called in and they had to resort to a mild lathi charge to disperse the students. Mission schools located in the valley had closed down for the last one month following monetary demands served on them by an underground outfit. According to reports the students numbering around 500 gathered at the gate of the school at about 9 am and forced open the gate which was kept under...