Why Manipur Guv not summoning Assembly for mandated session: Congress

Noting that Article 174 (1) of the Constitution stipulates that there cannot be more than a six month gap between two assembly sessions, the Congress on Tuesday asked why the Manipur governor is "violating" the article by not summoning the Manipur Assembly for its constitutionally mandated session.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said today is the last day for a constitutionally mandated sitting of the Manipur Legislative Assembly's session.

Article 174 (1) of the Constitution of India stipulates there cannot be more than a six month gap between the last sitting of an assembly session and the first sitting of the next assembly session, he said.

"Why is the Manipur Governor violating Article 174(1) by not summoning the Manipur Legislative Assembly for its constitutionally mandated assembly session?" Ramesh said.

The session was declared null and void because the BJP could not appoint a successor to the CM against whom the Congress was scheduled to move a no-confidence motion on Monday and who was forced to resign on Sunday night, he said.

His remarks come two days after N Biren Singh tendered his resignation as the chief minister to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal.

The Congress had termed Singh's resignation from the post of Manipur chief minister as "belated" and said people of the state were now awaiting a visit by "our frequent-flier Prime Minister" Narendra Modi.

"Sensing the climate, the Manipur chief minister has just resigned. This was a demand that the Congress has been making since early May 2023, when Manipur erupted," Ramesh had said.

"The chief minister's resignation was belated," Ramesh had said.

More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless since ethnic violence broke out in the state in May 2023.