KHOIROM BIPINCHANBIPINCHANDRA REPORTABLE SINGH DRA SINGHDate: 2026.03.17 IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR AT IMPHAL PIL No. 69 of 2021 Yumnam Dijendro Meitei, aged about 52 years, S/o Late Y. Ibochouba Singh, resident of Mayang Imphal Thana Maning Leikai, P.O. & P.S. Imphal and District Imphal West, Manipur – 795132.

… Petitioner - Versus -

1. State of Manipur through the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur, Imphal, Old Secretariat -795001. 2. The Principal Secretary/Commissioner/Secretary, State Council for Education & Training, Government of Manipur, Old Secretariat Imphal, Manipur – 795001.

3. The Director, State Council for Education & Training, Government of Manipur, at Lamphelpat –

795004.

4. The Chief Engineer, Education Engineering Wing, Government of Manipur, DM College Campus, Imphal West, Manipur – 795001.

… Respondents B E F O R E HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M. SUNDAR HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE A. BIMOL SINGH For the petitioner : Mr. Sh. Athoi, Advocate along with Ms.

Jotibala, Advocate For the respondents : Mr. S. Nepolean, Senior Advocate instructed by Mr. Y. Robert, Deputy Government Advocate Date of hearing : 16.03.2026 Date of judgment & order : 16.03.2026 JUDGMENT & ORDER (ORAL)

[M. Sundar, CJ]

[1] Captioned ‘Public Interest Litigation’ (‘PIL’ for the sake of brevity) turns on a short point. The central theme of the captioned PIL is shifting of ‘District Institute of Education and Training Centre’ (‘DIET Centre’

for the sake of convenience and brevity).

[2] In the hearing today, Mr. Sh. Athoi, learned counsel along with Ms. Jotibala, learned counsel for PIL petitioner and Y. Robert, learned Deputy Government Advocate (State counsel) led by Mr. S. Nepolean, learned senior advocate for all four respondents are before this Court.

[3] Short facts shorn of particulars not imperative for appreciating instant order are that DIET Centre is now located within DM College campus in Imphal West; that sometime in 2016, the plan to upgrade DM College and make it a Deemed University was in the anvil owing to which a policy decision was taken that the entire land i.e. entire campus on which DM College is now situate is required for the Deemed University; that owing to such requirement, a further decision was taken to shift DIET Centre from DM College campus; that Mayang Imphal, Imphal West District was proposed and this Court is informed that foundation stone was laid in Mayang Imphal, Imphal West District, but admittedly no construction has been put up i.e. not even a brick has been laid; that under such circumstances, a further policy decision was taken by the State to shift DIET Centre to Salam Mamang Leikai, Imphal West to land measuring about 4.95 acre under C.S. Dag Chitha No. 182 (New) in village No. 76 of Salam Keikhu; that it is seen from case file that this land has been classified as Sarkari Sanjabung ; that this location shall be referred to ‘Lamsang’ for the sake of clarity; that after various proceedings an order dated 22.05.2021 bearing reference No. 13/1/2007-SE/SCERT(Pt-11) was made by the Government of Manipur more particularly SCERT (State Council of Education Research and Training) and scanned reproduction of this order is as follows:

[4] Adverting to the afore-referred proceedings, Mr. Sh. Athoi, learned counsel for PIL petitioner submitted that shifting of DIET Centre to Lamsang would mean that DIET Centre will now not be situate in ‘23- Mayang Imphal Assembly Constituency’ (‘said Assembly Constituency’ for the sake of convenience); that the captioned PIL has been filed before this Court on 03.12.2021 but there has been no interim order; that the construction of DIET Centre in Lamsang had commenced and it is at a very advanced stage now.

[5] The lone grievance of the PIL petitioner is that shifting DIET Centre from DM College campus, Imphal West to Lamsang will mean that DIET Centre will now not be situate in the said Assembly Constituency.

[6] In response to the above submission, learned senior counsel appearing for ‘all