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Merger
of Manipur With India: The
Text of the Agreement Agreement
made this twenty-first day of September 1949 between the Governor General of
India and his Highness, the Maharajah of Manipur. Whereas
in the best interests of the State of Manipur as well as of the Dominion of
India it is desirable to provide for the administration of the said State by or
under the authority of the Dominion Government. It
is hereby agreed as follows: Article
I His
Highness the Maharajah of Manipur hereby cedes to the Dominion Government full
and exclusive authority, jurisdiction and powers for and in relation to the
governance of the State and agrees to transfer the administration of the State
to the Dominion Government on the fifteenth day of October 1949 (there in after
referred to as "the said day"). As from the said day the Dominion
Government will be competent to exercise the said powers, authority and
jurisdiction in such manner and through such agency as it may think fit. Article
II His
Highness the Maharajah shall continue to enjoy the same personal rights,
privileges, dignities, titles, authority over religious observances, customs,
usages, rites and ceremonies and institutions in charge of the same in the
State, which he would have enjoyed had this agreement not been made. Article
III His
highness the Maharajah shall with effect from the said day be entitled to
receive for his lifetime from the revenue of the State annually for his Privy
Purse the sum of Rupees three lakhs free of all taxes. This amount is intended
to cover all the expenses of the Ruler and his family, including expenses on
account of his personal staff and armed guards, maintenance of his residences,
marriages and other ceremonies, etc. and the allowances to the Ruler's relations
who on the date of execution of this agreement were in receipt of such
allowances from the revenues of the State, and will neither be increased nor
reduced for any reason whatsoever. The Government of India undertake that the
said sum of Rupees three lakhs shall be paid to His Highness the Maharajah in
four equal installments in advances at the beginning of each quarter from the
State treasury or at such other treasury as may be specified by the Government
of India. Article
IV His
Highness the Maharajah shall be entitled to the full ownership, use and
enjoyment of all private properties (as distinct from State properties)
belonging to him on the date of this agreement. His Highness the Maharajah will
furnish to the dominion Government before the first January 1950, an inventory
of all the immovable property, securities and cash balance held by him as such
private property. If any dispute arises as to whether any item of property is
the private property of his highness the Maharajah or State property, it shall
be referred to a Judicial Officer qualified to be appointed as a High Court
Judge, and the decision of that officer shall be final and binding on both
parties. Provided that his Highness the Maharajah's right to the use of the
residences known as "Redlands" and "Les Chatalettes" in
Shillong, and the property in the town of Guwahati known as "Manipuri Basti"
shall not be questioned. Article
V All
the members of His Highness's family shall be entitled to all the personal
rights, privileges, dignities and titles enjoyed by them whether within or
outside the territories of the State, immediately before the 15th August, 1947. Article
VI The
Dominion Government guarantees the succession, according to law and custom, to
the gaddi of the State and to his highness, the Maharajah's personal rights,
privileges, dignities, titles, authority over religious observances, customs
usages, rites and ceremonies and institutions in-charge of the same in the
State. Article
VII No
enquiry shall be made by or under the authority of the Government of India, and
no proceedings shall lie in any Court in Manipur, against His highness the
Maharajah whether in a personal capacity or otherwise in respect of anything
done or omitted to be done by him or under his authority during the period of
his administration of that State. Article
VIII The
Government of India hereby guarantees either the continuance in service of the
permanent members of the Public Services of Manipur on conditions which will be
not less advantageous than those on which they were serving before the date on
which the administration of Manipur is made over to the Government of India or
the payment of reasonable compensation. The
Government of India further guarantees the continuance of pensions and leave
salaries sanctioned by His Highness the Maharajah to servants of the State who
have retired or proceeded on leave preparatory to retirement, before the date on
which the Administration of Manipur is made over to the Government of India. The
Government of India shall also undertake to make suitable provisions for the
employment of Manipuris in the various branches of Public Services, and in every
way encourage Manipuris to join them. They also undertake to preserve various
laws, customs and conventions prevailing in the State pertaining to the social,
economic and religious life of the people. Article
IX Except
with the previous sanction of the Government of India no proceedings, civil or
criminal, shall be instituted against any person in respect of any act done or
purporting to be done in the execution of his duties as a servant of the State
before the day on which the administration is made over to the Government of
India. sd/ Bodh
Chandra Singh, sd/ V.P.
Menon, Sri
Prakash Shillong
September 21, 1949. (Courtesy:
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