TMB Report
Imphal: The High Court of Manipur has directed the State Government to submit the specific recommendation along with the latest socio-economic survey and ethnographic report of Meetei/Meitei community as sought by Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India on May 29, 2013.
The Court also directed the State government to consider the demand for inclusion of the Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list expeditiously within a period four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order in terms of the averments set out in the writ petition and in the line of the order passed in WP(C) No. 4281 of 2002 dated 26.05.2003 by the Gauhati High Court.
The Court passed the judgement based on a Writ petition filed by Meetei Tribe Union. Hearing of the petition was held on March 27.
Respondents of the case are Manipur Government represented by Chief Secretary, Chief Secretary to the Government of Manipur, Secretary of Tribal Affairs and Hills Department Manipur and Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India.
The Court observed, “Nothing has been produced by the respondents, particularly the respondent State to show that they have sent reply to the letter dated 29.5.2013 of the Government of India, Ministry
of Tribal Affairs. Thus, the issue of inclusion of Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list of the Constitution is pending for nearly ten years and above. No satisfactory explanation is forthcoming from the side of the respondent State for not submitting the recommendation for the last 10 years.
Therefore, it would be appropriate to direct the respondent State to submit its recommendation to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs within a reasonable time”.
The court disposed of the write petition.
