K. HOLISON RAOMEI Vs. STATE OF MANIPUR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Mr. HS Paonam, learned senior counsel, appears for the petitioner.

(2.) This writ petition was filed assailing the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Sixth Amendment Act), 2022. Interim stay of the operation of the said amendment was also sought pending disposal of the writ petition.

(3.) On 23/11/2022, when the matter came up for hearing for the first time, Mr. HS Paonam, learned senior counsel, appearing for the petitioner, requested that the prayer for interim relief be considered. However, Mr. Lenin Hijam, learned Advocate General, Manipur, appearing for respondents No. 1, 2 and 3, sought time to advance arguments on that aspect. The case was accordingly adjourned to 25/11/2022. On 25/11/2022, Mr. I. Amri, learned counsel, representing Mr. Lenin Hijam, learned Advocate General, Manipur, sought an adjournment and it was posted on 28/11/2022. Yet again, on that day, Mr. Lenin Hijam, learned Advocate General, Manipur, sought an adjournment to 29/11/2022. This situation continued on the next date also and Mr. Lenin Hijam, learned Advocate General, Manipur, again sought an adjournment and the case was adjourned to 1/12/2022. On 1/12/2022, the case was taken up for hearing on the issue of interim relief, but Mr. Lenin Hijam, learned Advocate General, Manipur, sought to place reliance on the common judgment dtd. 10/10/2017 passed by a learned Judge of this Court in W.P. (C) Nos. 433 of 2017 and 455 of 2017. This judgment along with other documents was placed on record by way of a compilation filed in open Court by Mr. Lenin Hijam, learned Advocate General, Manipur. However, only the main prayer in W.P. (C) No. 455 of 2017 was made part of the said compilation and the prayer in W.P. (C) No. 433 of 2017 was not filed therewith. As the argument of the learned Advocate General, Manipur, was that the learned Judge ought not to have dealt with certain issues as there was no prayer made in the writ petitions, perusal of the prayer in the other writ petition was considered essential. The matter was accordingly adjourned to 2/12/2022 to enable the learned Advocate General, Manipur, to file a complete set of papers.