March 25, 2025 : A contempt petition has been filed in the High Court of Manipur, accusing relevant authorities of disregarding a longstanding order to increase the manpower of the state’s Home Guards. This legal action has reignited concerns surrounding the ongoing unemployment crisis in the region.
The roots of the issue stretch back to March 29, 2004, when B.L. Vohra, the Director General of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Home Guards), recommended an expansion of the force to 3,394 personnel. However, despite the passage of nearly two decades, the proposal remains unaddressed. In March 2022, Y. Mangi, President of the All Manipur Home Guard Employees Welfare Association, filed a petition before the High Court urging immediate recruitment to resolve the matter.
In response, the Commandant General of the Home Guards submitted a counter affidavit, claiming that the power to recruit lies with the central government, which falls outside his jurisdiction. Subsequently, in December 2024, the High Court directed the central government to respond to the case, but with no reply forthcoming, a contempt petition was formally lodged on March 20, 2025.
Mangi argued that the filing of the contempt petition was a necessary step to address the state’s unemployment issues, with the additional recruitment of Home Guards offering potential employment for many individuals currently without work.
The High Court has now given the concerned parties two weeks to file their counter affidavits. The case is expected to be heard in the coming weeks, as the issue continues to draw attention for its implications on both the state’s security and its employment challenges.
