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Manipur State Constitution Act 1947

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Manipur State Constitution Act
Constitution-making Committee
Territorial extentManipur
Passed byManipur (princely state)
Passed26 July 1947[1]
Enacted1947[2]
Signed byMaharaja Bodhchandra Singh
Date of expiry15 October 1949[3]
Status: Unknown

Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 is an act which enabled Manipur State to have a dejure written constitution enacted by the last Maharajah of Manipur Bodhchandra Singh.[4] The validity of the act in present time is debated.[5]

Background

After the 1891 rebellion in Manipur, the British took direct control of the state's administration. While the Maharaja was retained the Maharaja as a nominal head of state, the real power rested with the British Political Agent and an official appointed as the President of the Durbar. The hill regions, populated by Naga and Kuki tribes, were taken out of the jurisdiction of the Maharaja and administered by the President using Assam regulations.[6][7] [8]

In 1934, Nikhil Manipuri Mahsabha (NMM) was established by Hijam Irabot with the-then Maharajah Churachand Singh as President.[9] By 1938 it had become a prominent political front advocating the democratization of the powers held by the Durbar and an overhaul of the corrupt colonial administration.[9][10][11] Proposals for reforms were twice submitted to the Durbar in 1938 and 1939.[10][11] They called for abolition of exploitative taxes, reunification of the hills with the valley, establishment of self-rule, installation of a Panchayat system, and the establishment of a unicameral legislature based on suffrage.[10][11][9]

Fissures between the royal house and NMM were also prominent; NMM was declared a political party whereby no state government employee could participate in it and Irabot had to resign from the Sadar Court.[9] In the ensuing deliberations, Churachand and the President of the Durbar F. F. Pearson declined the demands of NMM, claiming that Manipur was not "ripe for democracy".[10][11] Popular resistance continued — the Second Nupi Lan would play a significant role in mobilizing anti-feudal sentiments in the masses.[9][11][12]

Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh ascended the throne in November 1941, on Churachand's death.[10] Whilst the political scene was quiet during World War II, after the war, he was subject to a protracted and vigorous resistance from multiple political parties — Irabot's Manipur Krishak Sabha (MKS), Manipur State Congress allied to the Indian National Congress, Manipur Praja Sangha etc.[10][11] In August 1946, NMM passed a resolution urging for the immediate establishment of a constitution-drafting machinery.[11] Krishak Sabha and Praja Sangha demanded a "responsible" government in multiple meetings, throughout the year.[11] Finally, on the advise of Cabinet Mission, Bodhchandra consented to the formation of a 15 member Constitution Making Committee in December 1946.[13][11]

Constitution-making

The Constitution Making Committee had five members selected from a consultation with "educated men" of the Hills, five members were elected from the valley, two members were nominated by the Maharajah and Chairman of the Chief Court, and the remaining three were nominated by the Durbar.[10][14] Overall, the committee was dominated by Congress men and their sympathizers.[9] President of the Durbar, Pearson became the Chairman.[10] Krishak Sabha as well as Praja Sangha had criticized the composition-rules as undemocratic and boycotted elections to the committee.[9][10][11]

The commission took office in February 1947 and was formally inaugurated on 3 March.[10][11] On, 10 March, the Maharajah addressed it in a public ceremony.[10][15] The first meeting was held on 24 March 1947 and on 29 March, broad resolutions were adopted on the central features of the would-be constitution.[10][16] The final version of the constitution was passed by the committee on 8 May 1947.[11][16] The draft was soon vetted by the Durbar and on receiving Bodhchandra's consent, was enacted as the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 on 27 July 1947.[10]

Reference

  1. ^ Sudhirkumar Singh (2011), p. 120: "The Constitution Drafting Committee submitted its draft to the State Council on 15 May 1947. The State Council passed it on 26 July 1947 and presented the same to the Maharaja for his assent. After duly approved by the Maharaja, the report became the Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947."
  2. ^ Manchanda, Rita (2015). Making war, making peace : conflict resolution in South Asia. Tapan K. Bose. New Delhi, India. p. 100. ISBN 978-93-5150-098-8. OCLC 897946353.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ Sudhirkumar Singh (2011), pp. 146–147: "Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947 lapsed, coalition ministry in the state ceased to function, the legislature dissolved and the post of Dewan abolished with effect from 15 October 1949."
  4. ^ Banerjee, S. K. (1958). "Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947". The Indian Journal of Political Science. 19 (1): 35–38. JSTOR 42748891.
  5. ^ Das (2010), p. 123: "The Manipur State Constitution did not lose its validity with the signing of the merger agreement"
  6. ^ Sudhirkumar Singh (2011), pp. 48–49: "The rules of administration were framed by the Assam Governor and approved by the Government of India. Under the administrative scheme, the Durbar was the highest executive body to administer the state affairs. Even during his presidentship, the Maharaja could do nothing without consulting the Durbar."
  7. ^ Verghese, B. G. (1996), India's Northeast Resurgent: Ethnicity, Insurgency, Governance, Development, Konark Publishers, p. 115, ISBN 9788122004557, Rules for the Management of the State of Manipur enforced in 1933. The supreme authority was the political agent acting on behalf of the Government of Assam and the Maharaja was to be assisted by a Durbar headed by a President, an officer specially selected by the Government of Assam. The budget was also to be approved by the Government of Assam and the hill tribes were to be administered by the President in accordance with rules framed by the Government of Assam.
  8. ^ Aitchison, C. U., ed. (1931), A Collection of Treaties, Engagements and Sanads Relating to India and Neighbouring Countries, vol. XII, Calcutta: Government of India, Central Publication Branch, pp. 106–108 – via archive.org
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Parratt, John; Parratt, Saroj Arambam (2000). "Hijam Irabot and the Radical Socialist Democratic Movement in Manipur". Internationales Asienforum (in German). 31 (3–4): 275–288. doi:10.11588/iaf.2000.31.988.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Thoiba Singh, Wakambam (1984). Meetei polity a study of the socio-economic and political changes among the Meeteis from 1750 to 1950 (Thesis). Guwahati University/Shodhganga. p. 228-232 (Chapter 5). hdl:10603/69732.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Indrakumar, Konthoujam (30 April 2020). "Colonialism and Movement for Democracy in Manipur". In Arambam Noni; Kangujam Sanatomba (eds.). Colonialism and Resistance: Society and State in Manipur. Routledge. pp. 61–69. doi:10.4324/9781315638317. ISBN 978-1-00-304589-2.
  12. ^ Parratt, Saroj N. Arambam; Parratt, John (October 2001). "The Second 'Women's War' and the Emergence of Democratic Government in Manipur". Modern Asian Studies. 35 (4): 905–919. doi:10.1017/S0026749X0100405X. ISSN 1469-8099. S2CID 145449486.
  13. ^ Ibochou Singh, Khwairakpam (1985). British administration in Manipur 1891–1947 (Thesis). Guwahati University/Shodhganga. p. v. hdl:10603/66697.
  14. ^ "Majoritarianism in Manipur". Himal Southasian. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  15. ^ Noni, Arambam (16 October 2015). Noni, Arambam; Sanatomba, Kangujam (eds.). Colonialism and Resistance. p. 68. doi:10.4324/9781315638317. ISBN 978-1-317-27066-9.
  16. ^ a b Priyabrata Singh, M. K. (1948). Administration Report Of The Manipur State For The Year 1946–47. pp. 2–5.

Bibliography

Further reading

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