Did Change Of Word Alter Manipur's Future? Row Over Gazette vs Assembly "Discrepancy"
Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh has pointed out a discrepancy between a notification published in the Gazette of India and the state assembly's published rules on governance in Manipur's hill areas.
In a letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Wednesday, Mr Singh said the discrepancy - which he called "manipulated version" - has significant implications for the state.
"There appears to be a serious and potentially deliberate alteration in the text of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) Order, 1972, as published in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. The original order, passed by the Parliament of India, was published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary. However, a careful comparison between the original Gazette notification and the manipulated version published by the State Assembly reveals a crucial discrepancy, potentially leading to significant implications for governance in Manipur's hill areas," the former chief minister said in the letter.
The discrepancy, Mr Singh pointed out, is in the difference between the wordings - "the appointment of succession of Chiefs or Headman", and, "the appointment or succession of Chief or Headman."
Mr Singh said the Gazette of India notification has the word "of", while the "manipulated version" published in the Manipur assembly rules has the word "or" - which significantly distorted the clause, leading to "profound administrative and political implications".
"This seemingly minor linguistic alteration constitutes a significant distortion with profound administrative and political implications. By substituting the word 'of' with 'or', the scope of the provision is broadened to potentially allow new appointments of chiefs or headmen, rather than merely governing traditional succession practices," Mr Singh said.
This change, whether intentional or inadvertent, has given rise to an environment where new villages can be declared and new village chiefs or a headman can be appointed without customary legitimacy or legal clarity, Mr Singh said in the letter to the Governor.
"It has in effect opened the door for a rapid and unchecked proliferation of villages, many of which may not have existed historically or traditionally. The consequences of such a shift are already being felt on the ground, where questions surrounding land ownership, ethnic settlement patterns, and village recognition are becoming increasingly complex and contested," the former chief minister said.
He asked the Governor to take immediate steps to look into this issue, and also requested for an independent investigation to find out how and when the wording in the assembly version was altered and under whose authority.
"It is equally important to conduct a comprehensive audit to ascertain how many villages have been declared after this adoption and how many new chiefs and headmen have been appointed under this modified provision," Mr Singh said.
CONSPIRACY TO DESTROY MANIPUR RUNS DEEP: ASSEMBLY CLAUSE ALTERED TO ALLOW ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW VILLAGES
I have written to the Hon'ble Governor of Manipur to draw attention to a serious issue. There seems to be a disturbing alteration between the original Gazette of India and the... pic.twitter.com/1JI36R9Gm4
— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) June 25, 2025
Manipur has been looking to scrap the chieftainship system to end the rule of village chiefs, who are the sole leaders of settlements and own entire villages, and pave the way for setting up a democratic way of rural governance.
The state in 1967 already passed a law to abolish hereditary chieftainship, and the then President had also given assent to the bill the same year. What remained to be done was to operationalise the law with a notification mentioning the names of villages and other key details.
However, since the Manipur Hill Areas (Acquisition of Chiefs' Rights) Act, 1967 has not been enforced till date, chieftains continued with their rights and set up villages as per their hereditary practices. After the British left, India passed the Zamindari Abolition Act, 1951, and ended the zamindari system, but in Manipur the Kuki tribes still practice it in the form of chieftainship. Even neighbouring Mizoram, where the tribes share ethnic ties with the Kuki and Chin people, had scrapped chieftainship.
"Manipur is the only state in the northeast where this Act isn't implemented. Even a state like Mizoram had implemented a similar act for abolishing chieftainship way back in 1954 when it was a part of Assam. (The) need of the hour is to implement this Act at the earliest date, which we are hopeful now," Manipur BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh said in March 2024.
There are many villages of the Kuki tribes in the hills surrounding the Meitei-dominated valley. The Meitei-Kuki ethnic clashes have killed over 260 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Court withholds Nainital district panchayat president poll results amid controversy
The announcement of the Nainital District Panchayat presidential election result has been put on hold following directions from the High Court, after five Congress-backed Zila Panchayat members were allegedly kidnapped on voting Election Officer Vandana Singh said that the counting of votes was carried out late on Thursday night in the presence of agents from both candidates."After the incident in which five Congress-backed Zila Panchayat members were kidnapped during the election process, the matter reached the High Court, which issued specific guidelines. Counting was completed as per these directions, and the result has been kept in a sealed envelope," she According to Singh, a detailed report of the entire process has been sent to the Election sealed result will be presented before the High Court, which will decide whether the five members who have not yet cast their votes should be allowed to participate in the process. The final declaration will be made only after the court's election for the District Panchayat President in Nainital had earlier been marred by controversy, leading to legal intervention. The High Court had instructed that the process be conducted under close supervision to ensure on the matter of violence during the Betalghat block elections, Vandana Singh said that the police have arrested four people in connection with the firing district police chief has submitted a preliminary report detailing the response measures taken after the incident. This includes the number of police teams deployed, and the actions carried out to maintain law and Betalghat firing incident had heightened tensions in the area, prompting security reinforcements. Authorities have assured that further investigations are underway and that strict action will be taken against those High Court hearing on the Nainital election matter is expected to determine the fate of the pending votes and pave the way for the formal announcement of the new District Panchayat President. Until then, the sealed result will remain under official custody.- Ends
News18
10 hours ago
- News18
Nepal-India relations more than roti and beti, says Deputy PM Singh
Kathmandu, Aug 15 (PTI) Greeting India on the 79th Independence Day, Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh on Friday said New Delhi and Kathmandu's relation is not only confined to 'roti and beti', but also expands to religious, cultural and political dimensions. Singh, who is also the Minister for Urban Development, was speaking at a programme organised in Lalitpur by the Indian Embassy on the occasion of the Indian Independence Day. 'Nepal–India relations are special in characteristics. We have open borders and there is cultural and civilisational proximity," Singh said. 'The bilateral relation is not only confined to 'roti and beti' (trade and marriage) but also expands to religious, cultural and political dimensions. The relations will be refined further through mutual cooperation and collaboration," he added. In an event at the Indian Embassy premises in Kathmandu, the Indian Embassy gifted books to 39 educational institutions and libraries across Nepal marking the 79th Independence Day. These educational institutions and libraries are spread across seven provinces and 21 districts of the country. Indian ambassador Naveen Srivastava, at the same programme, honoured the widows and next of kin of the deceased personnel of the Indian Armed Forces, and handed over AGIF (Amy Group Insurance Funds) cheques with a total value of NRs 64 million, according to a release by the embassy. The members of the Indian community in Nepal, friends of India as well as Indian embassy staff and their family members took part in the Independence Day celebrations at the Indian Embassy, Kathmandu. Meanwhile, at a function organised by Nepal Bharat Friendship Society (NBFS), a host of speakers highlighted the historical, cultural and economic ties existing between Nepal and India since ancient times. They underscored that Nepal and India should understand and honour each other's concerns. Nepal should always honour India's security interest and should not undermine her concerns, remarked Prakash Sharan Mahat, Nepali Congress spokesperson. Nepalese leaders have participated in the Indian Independence movement and in the same manner Indian leaders also extended support to Nepal's democratic movement, said Janata Samajwadi Nepal president Upendra Yadav. He also congratulated the people of India for driving their country towards a global power within a period of eight decades. Deputy head of Indian Embassy, Rarkesh Pandey shed light on various aspects of Nepal-India relations at the programme chaired by NBFS president Prem Lashkery. Vice President Parmananda Jha, Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader Pashupati Shamsher Rana, Rastriya Swotantra Party leader Swornim Wagley and former president of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries Bhawani Rana also congratulated the government and people of India on the 79th Independence Day. PTI SBP NPK NPK view comments First Published: August 15, 2025, 22:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
'Irreparable harm': Canada court blocks deportation of Indian man, wife has ADHD
Canada judge blocks deportation of India as his wife suffers from ADHD. A Canadian court has blocked the deportation of Jagjit Singh, an Indian-origin man, citing that his separation from his wife, who has ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), will cause "irreparable harm" to the wife. According to the court filing, Singh came to Canada in 2021 on a temporary resident visa and made a refugee claim. Then he got married in Canada and his wife applied to sponsor his permanent resident application, and Jagjit Singh withdrew his refugee claim this year. But his removal process already began while his resident application was under review and the Canada Border Services Agency finally ordered him to be deported. Singh appealed to Canada's federal court against the deportation order and claimed that he would be in danger if he were sent back to India. Singh also claimed that his removal would cause "serious prejudices to his spouse due to her health conditions". Federal Judge Avvy Yao-Yao Go said she has evidence in front of her that Singh's wife, referred to as LB in court documents, suffers from ADHD which impairs her ability to manage time and everyday responsibilities. "In the case before me, there is evidence that L.B. suffers from ADHD which impairs her ability to manage time, stress focus and everyday responsibilities and that [Singh] provides her with support by, among other things, helping her maintain daily structure and reminders for medications and appointments, and providing her with emotional stability and mental health support," Go said. The ruling drew backlash on social media, with many users pointing out that ADHD is not that serious. "The judge who halted an Indian man's deportation order because his wife has ADHD was an activist before being appointed to the bench," one wrote. Many social media users said his wife should also go to India with him. "I wonder how his wife survived before she met him?" one person said. "This is beyond insulting. Not only to people with ADHD, but to our country. So pathetic," another wrote. Go immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong in the 1980s and worked as Clinic Director of the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic before becoming a judge.
