Veteran Politician, Okram Joy said that there was no proper debate among the legislatures while passing the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, tenants and Migrant Workers (MRVT & MW) Bill, 2015 which was tabled by the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
“The Manipur Regulation of Visitors, tenants and Migrant Workers Bill, 2015, that was passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly was not properly debated in the house and there is various constitutional loopholes in the bill”, the veteran politician who has been elected 6 times in the Manipur State legislative Assembly said while expressing his views as moderator on the second day of the 3 Day special discussion on Inner Line Permit System organised by United Peoples’ Movement for Economic Development, UPMED, at the Conference Hall of MIMS, Manipur University which begins from April 9.
Giving his observation, Okram Joy said that various provisions which are included in the bill are being overridden in the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 which has been enacted by the Parliament of India.
On the other hand Okram Joy further said that if the government felt the need for introduction of a bill which is of public importance it should be made available to the legislatures two days ahead of the introduction, so that the legislatures finds time to study the bill. He also added that such bill should be made public and seeks opinions from the general public opinion through mass media. And later, the legislatures should debated clause by clause provided in the bill.
Dr. Sapam Dilip, Faculty of LMS Law College Imphal, while speaking on the occasion as resource person said that the bill which was introduced seems to have been frame in a narrow strip which was found as the only resort. He said the legal experts who are responsible in preparing the bill are encircling only in the article 19 (5) of the Indian constitution as that is the only point that a law like Inner Line Permit System can be brought up. What Dr. Dilip was referring was about the need for amendment of Indian Constitutions if the government strongly felt that there is a need for intruding certain law to safeguard the indigenous people of the state. He said for the state Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland certain provision of the Indian constitution has been protecting the interest of the people but there is no such provision for the state of Manipur.
Dr. Hakim of GP College, Ahongsangbam Mobi of Editors’ Guild and Rinku Khumukcham of Imphal Times also attended as resource persons on the second day of the special session.
