Irom Sharmila unlikely to appear before Delhi court

Irom Sharmila, charged with attempt to suicide, is likely to miss appearance in Delhi's Patiala House court on February 3 and 4 as Manipur authorities have failed to sanction travelling expenses for her and her team.

The home department of the Manipur government has failed to sanction Rs 1.40 lakh as the travelling expense for Sharmila and her team. In the past, she missed some court appearances on the same ground.

According to the jail manual, she has to be accompanied by police, jail and medical staff while travelling to Delhi.

She is undergoing trial under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code (attempt to commit suicide).

She is on fast unto death since November 4, 2000, demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. It was imposed in Manipur on September 8, 1980 as the foreign trained insurgents got upperhand. One amicus curiae is representing her.

This act allows her detention for one year at one go and at the end of each year she is ritually released. But she is always rearrested as she continues her fast outside the jail.

After being released by the court of chief judicial magistrate, Imphal west, she rushed to Delhi on October 6, 2006 for carrying on the fast at Jantar Mantar.

All along she has been denying the charge of attempt to commit suicide. She said, "I love my life and want to live. I am using fast as a weapon to achieve my goal".

On January 22, 2015, the district and sessions court, Imphal west, ordered her release as she was found not guilty of the charge. However, later she was arrested on the same charge.

A. Romenkumar, a high court court advocate told IANS the prosecution should file a petition for appeal or revision within three months of the court order. After expiry of this period the order reaches finality and becomes the rule of the law.

Under the circumstances, the arrest of Sharmila under the same charge is questionable.