Agencies
IMPHAL, AUGUST 14
Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh has deferred the August 15 deadline to pass an ILP-like bill in the assembly.
The agitating Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has been putting pressure on the state government to pass the bill incorporating its five points by August 15 even as people continued to stage demonstrations demanding implementation of the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) in the state. On Wednesday, the second round of talks between the state government and the pro-ILP group failed to yield any result.
Okram said his government would face difficulties in passing the bill by Friday.The state government has extended its best effort to pass the bill and it should be accepted by the JCILPS and people, Okram said on the sidelines of the 124th Patriots’ Day observance at the PCC office complex here on Thursday morning. Pointing out the technical difficulties, Okram said, “Today being Patriots’ Day, the government departments can work only till evening and only after a day, it is Independence Day.”
The CM said the draft bill would be discussed by the state cabinet before being sent to the governor for approval.
The government has been consulting legal experts to incorporate the five points raised by the JCILPS in the draft bill, the CM said, while appealing to the committee leaders and representatives to sit with the government on a daily basis from August 17 (Monday) to bring out an effective draft bill.
Okram said that his government has already complied with all other demands of the JCILPS.
As assured during the first round of talks held on Monday, the state government on Wednesday granted unconditional release to all the seven student leaders, who were arrested from different parts of the state in connection with the ILPS stir.
After the talks failed on Wednesday, JCILPS convener- in-charge Khomdram Ratan said the committee would discuss with the public and launch a rigid stir.
The ILPS movement intensified after student protester Sapam Robinhood was killed in police action on a group of students on July 8 in Imphal East. Since then, the district magistrates (Imphal West and Imphal East) had clamped curfew in greater Imphal areas. The curfew was withdrawn last week. Six Manipur police personnel have been suspended in connection with Robinhood’s killing.
