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{{short description|Manipur State Constitution Act 1947}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = Manipur State Constitution Act
| legislature = Constitution-making Committee
| image =
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| long_title =
| citation =
| territorial_extent = [[Manipur (princely state)|Manipur]]
| enacted_by = [[Manipur (princely state)]]
| date_enacted = 1947<ref>
{{Cite book |last=Manchanda |first=Rita |title=Making war, making peace : conflict resolution in South Asia |date=2015 |others=Tapan K. Bose |isbn=978-93-5150-098-8 |location=New Delhi, India |pages=100 |oclc=897946353}}
</ref>
|date_passed = 26 July 1947<ref>
{{harvp|Sudhirkumar Singh|2011|loc=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."}}
</ref>
| royal_assent = 
| signed_by = Maharaja [[Bodhchandra Singh]]
| date_commenced = 
| date_effective = 
|date_of_expiry = 15 October 1949<ref>{{harvp|Sudhirkumar Singh|2011|loc=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."}}</ref>
| date_repealed =
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| 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 (princely state)|Manipur]] [[Bodhchandra Singh]].<ref name=Banerjee>
{{Cite journal |last=Banerjee |first=S. K. |title=Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947 |date=1958 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/42748891 |journal=The Indian Journal of Political Science |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=35–38 |jstor=42748891}}
</ref> The validity of the act in present time is debated.<ref>{{harvp|Das|2010|loc=p. 123: "The Manipur State Constitution did not lose its validity with the signing of the merger agreement"}}</ref>

== Background ==
After the [[Anglo-Manipur War|1891 rebellion]] in Manipur, the British took direct control of the state's administration. While the Maharaja was retained as a nominal head of state, the real power rested with the British Political Agent and a British 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.<ref>
{{harvp|Sudhirkumar Singh|2011|loc=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."}}
</ref><ref>
{{citation |last=Verghese |first=B. G. |title=India's Northeast Resurgent: Ethnicity, Insurgency, Governance, Development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=STBuAAAAMAAJ |year=1996 |publisher=Konark Publishers |page=115 |isbn=9788122004557 |quote=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.}}
</ref><ref>
{{citation |editor-first=C. U. |editor-last=Aitchison |title=A Collection of Treaties, Engagements and Sanads Relating to India and Neighbouring Countries |volume=XII |location=Calcutta |publisher=Government of India, Central Publication Branch |year=1931 |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.235895 |via=archive.org |pages=106–108}}
</ref>

In 1934, [[Nikhil Manipuri Mahasabha|Nikhil Manipuri Mahsabha]] (NMM) was established by [[Hijam Irabot]] with the-then Maharajah [[Churachand Singh]] as President.<ref name="Parratt & Parratt">
{{Cite journal |last1=Parratt |first1=John |last2=Parratt |first2=Saroj Arambam |date=2000 |title=Hijam Irabot and the Radical Socialist Democratic Movement in Manipur |journal=Internationales Asienforum |language=de |volume=31 |issue=3–4 |pages=275–288 |doi=10.11588/iaf.2000.31.988 |url=https://crossasia-journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/iaf/article/view/988}}
</ref> 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.<ref name="Parratt & Parratt"/><ref name="Thoiba Singh">
{{Cite thesis |last=Thoiba Singh |first=Wakambam |title=Meetei polity a study of the socio-economic and political changes among the Meeteis from 1750 to 1950 |date=1984 |publisher=Guwahati University/Shodhganga |hdl=10603/69732 |hdl-access=free |at=p. 228-232 (Chapter 5)}}
</ref><ref name="Indrakumar">
{{Cite book |last=Indrakumar |first=Konthoujam |chapter=Colonialism and Movement for Democracy in Manipur |editor1=Arambam Noni |editor2=Kangujam Sanatomba |title=Colonialism and Resistance: Society and State in Manipur |date=2020-04-30 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-00-304589-2 |pages=61–69 |doi=10.4324/9781315638317 |chapter-url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315638317-12/colonialism-movement-democracy-manipur-konthoujam-indrakumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OzjbCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA61}}
</ref> Proposals for reforms were twice submitted to the Durbar in 1938 and 1939.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/><ref name="Indrakumar"/> They called for abolition of exploitative taxes, reunification of the hills with the valley, establishment of self-rule, installation of a [[Panchayati raj|Panchayat]] system, and the establishment of a unicameral legislature based on suffrage.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/><ref name="Indrakumar"/><ref name="Parratt & Parratt"/>

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.<ref name="Parratt & Parratt"/> In the ensuing deliberations, Churachand and the President of the Durbar [[Francis Pearson|F. F. Pearson]] declined the demands of NMM, claiming that Manipur was not "ripe for democracy".<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/><ref name="Indrakumar"/> Popular resistance continued — the [[Nupi Lan|Second Nupi Lan]] would play a significant role in mobilizing anti-feudal sentiments in the masses.<ref name="Parratt & Parratt"/><ref name="Indrakumar"/><ref>
{{Cite journal |last1=Parratt |first1=Saroj N. Arambam |last2=Parratt |first2=John |date=October 2001 |title=The Second 'Women's War' and the Emergence of Democratic Government in Manipur |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/modern-asian-studies/article/abs/second-womens-war-and-the-emergence-of-democratic-government-in-manipur/7AC773BD926D35695A381F9DB2326B74 |journal=Modern Asian Studies |volume=35 |issue=4 |pages=905–919 |doi=10.1017/S0026749X0100405X |s2cid=145449486 |issn=1469-8099}}
</ref>

Maharaja [[Bodhchandra Singh]] ascended the throne in November 1941, on Churachand's death.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/> 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.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/><ref name="Indrakumar"/> In August 1946, NMM passed a resolution urging the immediate establishment of constitution-drafting machinery.<ref name="Indrakumar"/> Krishak Sabha and Praja Sangha demanded a "responsible" government in multiple meetings, throughout the year.<ref name="Indrakumar"/> Finally, on the advice of Cabinet Mission, Bodhchandra consented to the formation of a Constitution Making Committee in December 1946.<ref name="Ibochou Singh">{{Cite thesis |last=Ibochou Singh |first=Khwairakpam |title=British administration in Manipur 1891–1947 |date=1985 |publisher=Guwahati University/Shodhganga |hdl-access=free |page=v |hdl=10603/66697 }}</ref><ref name="Indrakumar"/>

== Constitution-making ==
The Constitution-Making Committee had 15 members: five members were selected from a consultation with "educated men" of the Hills, five were elected from the valley, two were nominated by the Maharaja and the Chairman of the Chief Court, and the remaining three were nominated by the Durbar.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-04 |title=Majoritarianism in Manipur |url=https://www.himalmag.com/majoritarianism-in-manipur/ |access-date=2021-05-07 |website=Himal Southasian}}</ref> Overall, the committee was dominated by Congress men and their sympathizers.<ref name="Parratt & Parratt"/> The president of the Durbar, E. F. Pearson, became the chairman.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/> Krishak Sabha as well as Praja Sangha had criticized the composition of the Committee as undemocratic and boycotted the elections to the Committee.<ref name="Parratt & Parratt"/><ref name="Thoiba Singh"/><ref name="Indrakumar"/>

The Committee was formally inaugurated on 3 March 1947.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/><ref name="Indrakumar"/> On, 10 March, the Maharajah addressed it in a public ceremony.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Noni |first=Arambam |editor1-first=Arambam |editor1-last=Noni |editor2-first=Kangujam |editor2-last=Sanatomba |date=2015-10-16 |title=Colonialism and Resistance |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315638317 |page=68 |doi=10.4324/9781315638317 |isbn=978-1-317-27066-9 }}</ref> The first meeting was held on 24 March, and, on 29 March, broad resolutions were adopted on the central features of the would-be constitution.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/><ref name="Priyabrata Singh">{{Cite book |last=Priyabrata Singh |first=M. K. |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.125403 |title=Administration Report Of The Manipur State For The Year 1946–47 |date=1948 |pages=2–5}}</ref> The final version of the constitution was passed by the Committee on 8 May 1947.<ref name="Indrakumar"/><ref name="Priyabrata Singh"/> The draft was soon vetted by the Durbar and on receiving Maharaja's consent, was enacted as the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 on 27 July 1947.<ref name="Thoiba Singh"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Das |first=Samir K. |chapter=India: Democracy, Nation, and the Spirals of Insecurity: State Response to Ethnic Separatism in India’s Northeast |date=2010 |editor1=Robert G. Wirsing |editor2=Ehsan Ahrari |title=Fixing Fractured Nations |place=London |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |page=123 |isbn=978-1-349-31464-5 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C9OGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA123}}
* {{cite book |author=Sudhirkumar Singh |publisher=Jawaharlal Nehru University |year=2011 |hdl-access=free |title=Socio-religious and Political Movements in Modern Manipur |page=120 |hdl=10603/121665}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite web |title=Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947 |url=https://www.constitutionofindia.net/historical_constitutions/manipur_state_constitution_act__1947_1st%20January%201947 }}
* {{cite book |author=Niṃthaukhoṃjama Khelacandra Siṃha |year=1975 |publisher=N. Tombi Raj Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EpAOAAAAMAAJ&q=Manipur+State+Constitution+Act+1947 |title=Manipuri Language: Status and Importance |pages=26–50}}
* {{Cite book |last=Government of Manipur |title=Manipur Gazette, 1949, January-June |pages=1–5 |date=1949 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.125717}}

[[Category:Constitutional law]]
[[Category:Democracy]]
[[Category:History of Manipur]]
[[Category:1947 in law]]

Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 - Revision history

Ferdaus: Content updated and refined

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article