Imphal: The Congress and Shiv Sena have expressed fear of dividing Manipur during the ongoing imposition of President’s Rule (PR) with the state assembly putting under animated suspension.
M Tombi, president of the Shiva Sena, Manipur State Unit told the newsmen at his office in Imphal on Saturday that one of the most alarming aspects of the proclamation of President’s Rule was the suspension of the proviso to Article 3, which deals with the formation and reorganization of states.
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The central leaders may have applied the move that earlier bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories in 2018-2019, to the prevailing political situation in Manipur.
He also called the people to stay alert for being possibility of the bifurcation of Manipur into two. In the same blood, he also appealed to the president of India for early revocation of the PR from the state and further informed the elected legislators to make an amicable settlement at the earliest for the formation of the new government sooner rather than later for the welfare of this state.
If they are unable to make a consensus within a week, they all must resign from their respective post to face new assembly elections.
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The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Keisham Meghachandra also warned that the BJP-led Central government could exploit the state’s situation to alter Manipur’s territorial integrity, and state boundaries, or even rename the state during the PR period.
K Meghachandra also emphasized that under Article 3 of the Indian constitution, the Centre can unilaterally make decisions regarding state reorganization as the powers of the state-elected legislatures have been useless during the PR.
Notably, Article 3 of the Indian Constitution empowers Parliament to form new states, alter the boundaries, names, or areas of existing states, or unite territories by law. However, any such Bill must first be recommended by the President and referred to the state legislature for its opinion if it affects the territorial composition of a state.