Manipur State Constitution Act 1947

Manipur State Constitution Act 1947[3][4][5] is an act which enabled Manipur State to have a dejure written constitution enacted by the last Maharajah of Manipur Meidingu Bodhchandra.[6][7] It may also be noted that British rule ended in Manipur on 14 August 1947[8][9] On 14 August 1947, after Pearson left,Chief Minister M.K Priyobarta became Chairman of Manipur State Constitution Making Committee.[10] The validity of the act in present time is highly debated[11][12]

Manipur State Constitution Act
Manipoor Kingdom
Territorial extentManipoor Kingdom
Enacted byManipoor Kingdom
Passed26 July 1947[1]
Enacted1947[2]
Signed byMaharaja Bodhchandra Singh
Status: Unknown

History

M.K Priyobarta is the first dejure Chief Minister of Manipur[13]

With a view of framing a constitution for popular governance of state of Manipur, the Maharaja of Manipur announced to the people and addressed the constitution making committee on 10 March 1947.[14][15] The first meeting of the committee was held on 24 March 1947,the drafted constitution was passed by the committee on 8 May 1947.[16][17]

Description

The first chapter of the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947[18] is like a Preamble.Section 3 lays down " All rights, authority and jurisdiction which appertain or are incidental to the Government of such territories, are exercisable by the Maharajah (of Manipur)subject to the Provision of this Act." (Territories mean 'territories' for the time being and hereafter vested in the Maharajah and governed by and in name of the Maharajah.)"This," observes Sri Brij Narayan, Honourable Judicial Commissioner, Manipur, in the case Dr.Ram Manohar Lohia and six other, "mean that the Maharajah agreed to become a Constitutional Ruler". This conclusion is reinforced again in section 9(b) which reads, "The Maharajah mean His Highness the Maharajah of Manipur, the Constitutional Head of the state. "The importance and magnitude of these provisions become clear when it is seen what had taken ages in some other country had been achieved in Manipur quite easily.[6]

References
  1. Sudhirkumar Singh, Socio-religious and Political Movements in Modern Manipur (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. Rita Manchanda,SAGE Series in Human Rights Audits of Peace Processes (2015), p. 100"The Manipur state constitution enacted in 1947 inscribed the administrative merger of the valley and the hills, despite the persistent representations "
  3. Somorjit, Wangam (2016). Manipur: The Forgotten Nation of Southeast Asia. Waba Publications & Advanced Research Consortium. p. 6. ISBN 978-81-926687-2-7.: "Under the Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947 a popular democratic government was formed in independent Manipur."
  4. Siṃha, Niṃthaukhoṃjama Khelacandra (1975). Manipuri Language: Status and Importance. N. Tombi Raj Singh. pp. 26–50. With the establishment of a popular Government in Manipur with the Maharaja as the Constitutional Head under the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 which came into force prior to the 15th August 1947
  5. "Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947". Constitution of India web site. Centre for Law and Policy Research. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  6. Banerjee, S. K. (1958). "Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947". The Indian Journal of Political Science. 19 (1): 35–38. JSTOR 42748891.
  7. Shyamkanhai, Singh (29 October 2020). "Manipur State Constitution Act 1947" (PDF). www.dspace.nehu.ac.in. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  8. "73rd Manipur Independence Day celebrated; Titular king declares he will not participate if two different flags were hoisted". Imphal Times. 14 August 2019.
  9. "Manipur celebrates 73rd Independence Day". Nagaland Post. 14 August 2019.
  10. Th Suresh Singh,The Endless Kabaw Valley British Created Visious [sic] Cycle of Manipur, Burma and India (2014), p. 244" On 14th August,1947 after Pearson left Chief Minister Priya Brata became Chairman of the Manipur State Constitution making Committee"
  11. India. Parliament. Lok Sabha,Lok Sabha Debates Volume 3, Issue 2 (1955), p. 4581: "The Maharaja, under the Manipur State Constitution Act of 1947, not competent to enter into such an agreement. Therefore, I am doubtful whether the legal position is valid."
  12. E. Ahrari,Fixing Fractured Nations The Challenge of Ethnic Separatism in the Asia-Pacific (2010), p. 123 "The Manipur State Constitution did not lose its validity with the signing of the merger agreement"
  13. Himalaya, Lt Gen Konsam (2 March 2017). "CAPTAIN MAHARAJ KUMAR PRIYOBARTA SINGH OF THE ASSAM REGIMENT". Salute. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  14. Priyabrata Singh, M. K. (1948). Administration Report Of The Manipur State For The Year 1946-47. pp. 3–5.
    P-3:" With a view to framing a constitution tor the popular Governance of the State of Manipur His Highness made an announcement to the people and addressed the Constitution Making Committee Members on 10-3-47"
  15. Noni, Arambam (16 October 2015). "Colonialism and Resistance": 68. doi:10.4324/9781315638317. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  16. Ziipao, Raile Rocky (30 April 2020). Infrastructure of Injustice. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2020.: Routledge India. pp. 58–59. ISBN 978-1-003-04589-2.CS1 maint: location (link)
  17. Priyabrata Singh, M. K. (1948). Administration Report Of The Manipur State For The Year 1946-47. pp. 2–5.
    P-2:"The first meeting of the Committee was held on the 24th March, '47.The draft constitution was passed by the Committee on the 8th May, 47.It was a great credit to this Committee that they could in such a short time bring out an agreed constitution. Manipur and her people will owe to them a great debt."
  18. D.V. ChitaleyAll India Reporter (1955), pp. 41-46"Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 were never suppressed nor do they appear to have been at any time attempted to be suppressed"

Bibliography
  • Governmnt of Manipur (1949). Manipur Gazette, 1949, January-June. pp. 1–5.
    P-4:"THE MANIPUR STATE GAZETTE JUNE 8th , 1969 [ PART IV )PROCEEDINGS OF THE 22ND SITTING OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE FIRST MANIPUR STATE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE MANIPUR STATE CONSTITUTION ACT, 1947."
  • Wirsing, Robert G. (2010). Ethnic Separatism: an Introduction. Fixing Fractured Nations. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-349-31464-5. Retrieved 5 December 2020. The Manipur State Constitution did not lose its validity with the signing of the merger agreement
  • p.123
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