A 14-hour general strike in Manipur called by Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) to press its demand for introducing an effective bill on the implementation of the Inner Line Permit System in the Assembly began at 5 am today.


The strike is coinciding with the curfew relaxation hours as notices by the authorities of Imphal East and West districts had said the prohibitory order would be relaxed between 5 am and 4 pm today.


The strike affected normal life with shops, schools and offices remaining closed. Roads are deserted with hardly any vehicles. No untoward incident was reported till noon, police said. The state government has directed the authorities to keep all educational schools closed.


Today's general strike is the second in a week by JCILPS which had asked the state government to "Give up the habit of waking up to the public issues only when there are violent protests."