Manipur Cabinet Approves Draft Unified Licensing Bill for Trade, Shops and Establishments
The Manipur Cabinet on Tuesday approved the draft Manipur Unified (Trade, Shops & Establishment) Licensing Bill, 2026, paving the way for its introduction in the upcoming Assembly session.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Babupara.
The proposed legislation seeks to introduce a single, unified licensing system for trade, shops and commercial establishments across Manipur, replacing the existing system involving multiple and overlapping licences.
Under the proposed framework, the unified licence will have overriding effect over inconsistent provisions in existing state laws relating to trade licensing. The move is aimed at eliminating dual and overlapping licensing requirements and reducing the regulatory burden on businesses.
According to the government, the new system will promote ease of doing business by reducing physical interaction with government offices and eliminating repetitive documentation.
The draft Bill also proposes a grievance redressal mechanism and safeguards against arbitrary or unauthorised regulatory action.
In another key decision, the Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the Manipur Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2021.
The proposed amendment seeks to liberalise regulations governing shops and commercial establishments and remove instances of dual licensing where businesses are already subject to similar compliance requirements.
The government said the changes would ensure that traders and businesses are not required to obtain multiple licences for the same or substantially similar regulatory compliance.
The two measures are expected to simplify the regulatory framework governing businesses in Manipur, reduce procedural hurdles and make it easier for traders and commercial establishments to comply with licensing requirements.
