The Union Cabinet Thursday decided to extend President's rule in Manipur by another six months beyond December one following governor's report indicating that the ground situation was still not conducive to holding assembly elections in the state. Parliamentary affairs minister Pramod Mahajan told reporters after the cabinet meeting that it was decided to extend the President's rule till June one, 2002.
The government would move a resolution in both houses of Parliament during the winter session beginning November 19 for extending the Central rule in the state, he said.
Parliament had approved President's rule on July 30 in the state following a political crisis, which had seen frequent changes in governments and shifting of party loyalties by MLAs. Home minister L K Advani had then said as per the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission, Manipur was a textbook case for invoking Article 356 as constitutional machinery had broken down in the wake of the political crisis.
Bureau Report