Manipur Congress demands extension of upcoming Assembly session

The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee has demanded an extension of the upcoming Manipur Assembly session, which is scheduled to begin on September 2.

Speaking to the media after the Business Advisory Committee meeting at the Manipur Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), Keisham Meghachandra, said the proposed three sitting days were inadequate to discuss the pressing issues confronting the State. He demanded an increase in the number of sitting days for the forthcoming session.

The CLP leader also said the Congress party wanted detailed discussions on issues including the updating of the NRC before the Census, the reported India-Myanmar territorial exchange proposal, the rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced people, inter-community tensions, law and order, and restrictions on free movement along the State’s highways.

Meghachandra also said the Assembly should provide sufficient time for opposition members to raise issues concerning the people, asserting that without adequate sittings, there could be no meaningful debate or healthy democracy.

According to the CLP leader, the Assembly guidelines provide for a minimum of 50 sitting days in a year, while the State has had fewer than 15 sittings so far this year. He said the Congress had submitted a dissent note opposing the limited number of sittings.