Congress says Article 174 violated in Manipur, calls it contempt of Constitution

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday said Article 174 that stipulates there cannot be more than a six-month gap between two assembly sessions has been "violated" in Manipur and alleged that this is a "deliberate contempt of the Constitution".

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the breakdown of constitutional machinery in Manipur and the agony of the people of the state continues as they still await a visit by PM Narendra Modi "who goes everywhere but Manipur".

"Article 174 of the Constitution of India states: 'The Governor shall from time to time summon the House or each House of the Legislature of the State to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit, but six months shall not intervene between its last sitting in one session and the date appointed for its first sitting in the next session'," Ramesh said on X.

The Governor of Manipur had convened the Assembly session to begin on February 10, 2025, and a no-confidence motion submitted by the Congress was to be taken up, he pointed out.

The CM resigned the previous night and the session was later declared "null and void", Ramesh noted.

"Six months have now passed. Article 174 has clearly been violated. This is nothing but deliberate contempt of the Constitution," he said.

"It is, however, not surprising because way back on August 1st, 2023, itself the Supreme Court had observed that 'there has been an absolute breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state'. That breakdown and the agony of the people of Manipur continues as they still await a visit by the PM who goes everywhere but Manipur," Ramesh said.

The Congress on Tuesday had asked why the Manipur governor is "violating" the article by not summoning the Manipur Assembly for its constitutionally mandated session.

His remarks come days after N Biren Singh tendered his resignation as the chief minister.

The Congress had termed Singh's resignation from the post of Manipur chief minister as "belated" and said people of the state were now awaiting a visit by "our frequent-flier Prime Minister".

More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless since ethnic violence broke out in the state in May 2023.