President's Rule In Manipur To Be Extended, Amit Shah To Move Resolution In Rajya Sabha

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has moved a statutory resolution in the Parliament seeking approval for the extension of the President's rule in Manipur for another six months.

The Centre had imposed the President's rule in Manipur on February 13, three days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. 

It will now be extended till February 13, 2026, after Parliament's nod.

The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, will remain under suspended animation. 

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023, in which over 250 people have been killed. Officials, however, have said that there has been a significant decline in violence since the imposition of President's rule.

The move by the Centre comes at a time when there has been a massive crackdown against recovering illegal weapons and the armed groups in the state. 

The Centre is now also focusing on the return and resettlement of the internally displaced people from both communities and aims to shut down relief camps by the end of this year.

The extension of President's rule, however, has come as a setback to the Manipur unit of the BJP, which had been pushing for the reinstatement of a popular government.

However, the 10 Kuki-Zo community MLAs have said that they want President's rule to continue until their core demand of a separate administration like a union territory is thoroughly discussed.

The Centre is also engaged in back-channel talks with the civil society groups.