On 26 July 1947, the kingdom of Manipur passed the Manipur Constitution Act. The Constitution was drafted over a 2 month period by a 15 member Constitution Making Committee. However, about two years later this Constitution was abrogated, and Manipur joined the Indian Union. 

On this episode, we discuss the only modern Indian state to pass an independent Constitution, the circumstances under which it expired, and what that teaches us about the limits of constitutionalism 

Joining us for this very important season finale, we have Dr Malem Ningthouja. He is currently a member of the Editorial board of the journal Revolutionary Democracy, Founder-cum-Chairperson of Campaign for Peace & Democracy (Manipur), Founder-cum-Managing Trustee of the Labour Research and Organisation Foundation (LAROF), and an alternate member of the International Coordination Committee of the International League of People’s Struggle.

The episode features a short clip from the band Imphal Talkies. There is a poem on Irabot Singh ‘Our Beloved Leader’, commissioned by the Manipur government on the occasion of his 125th birthday . Lastly, it includes an All India Radio clip on the merger of Manipur with the Indian Union. 

References: 

1. The Manipur State Constitution Act 

2. Diametrical Nationalism: Rulers, Rebels, and Masses in Manipur, Dr. Malem Ningthouja (Book)