Manipur likely to go to polls in March

Imphal: Manipur will have to go to polls before March 18, 2017 when the term of the present assembly ends, and no instructions has been received for advancing the elections, an official said on friday.

"While the date will be formally announced by the Election Commission of India, we are keeping everything in readiness," state Chief Secretary Oinam Nabakishore, who is also the chief election officer told reporters here.

He also said that that state government is urging the central government to start the sports university immediately in the Khuman Lampak sports complex as it will take over five years to construct the buildings and other facilities.

Referring to the official letter to the Manipur government about the court cases relating to some of the land land earmarked for the sports university, he said that the central government had been assured that the matter would be sorted out soon.

"Though the central government wanted 200 acres of land for the university, the Manipur government had given 336.96 acres of land," he said.

However, since owners of 33 acres of land had gone to court, the Union Sports Ministry had asked the state government to make a clear-cut statement on the issue since construction cannot be undertaken while court cases are pending.

The Union government had sanctioned Rs 100 crore two years back for the construction of the university.

Nabakishore said that the Parliament is likely to pass a bill in this regard during its monsoon session, which starts on Monday.