New Delhi, December 17 [India] The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved another, seemingly final, extension for the Commission of Inquiry probing the ethnic violence in Manipur, instructing it to submit its report "as soon as possible, but no later than May 20, 2026."
This is the fifth time the tenure of the three-member Commission, established in 2023 following the May 3 Manipur violence, has been extended. The Commission is led by former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajai Lamba, with retired IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar as its members.
The commission is tasked with probing the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, examining its causes as well as the authorities' response. The extensions have been granted due to the breadth and complexity of the investigation.
The ministry made the announcement in a notification issued on December 16, noting the extension of the time limit for submitting the report to the Commission of Inquiry (Manipur) 2023.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 (60 of 1952), the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs number S.O. 2424 (E), dated, the 4th June, 2023, namely: -In the said notification, for paragraph 3, the following paragraph shall be substituted namely:- "3. The Commission shall submit its report to the Central Government as soon as possible but not later than the 20th May, 2026," reads the notification.
The principal notification was published in the Gazette of India dated June 4, 2023, which was subsequently amended through three other notifications published in the Gazette of India on September 13, 2024; December 3, 2024 and May 20, 2025.
As per its terms of reference, the Commission will examine the sequence of events that led to the violence, identify any lapses or dereliction of duty by responsible authorities or individuals, and assess the adequacy of administrative measures taken to prevent and respond to the violence and riots.
Manipur has witnessed significant violence and law-and-order issues since May 3, 2023, with clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities leading to hundreds of deaths and thousands displaced. It resulted into heightened political tensions in Manipur following the resignation of former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and followed the imposition of President's Rule in the state.
President Droupadi Murmu had imposed President's Rule in Manipur on February 13 this year after receiving a report from the state's Governor, citing a breakdown of constitutional governance. The decision was taken days after, N Biren Singh on February 9, 2025 resigned from his position as the Chief Minister of Manipur. His resignation came amid prolonged ethnic violence and political instability that had plagued the state for nearly two years.
The state is currently under President's rule and Governor of Manipur Ajay Kumar Bhalla, after his appointment to the post on January 3, has been meeting a cross-section of people, taking feedback from them on how to bring back normalcy in the northeastern state.
The unrest in Manipur primarily involved clashes between the majority Meitei community and the minority Kuki-Zomi tribes. Tensions escalated over disputes related to economic benefits, job quotas, and land rights. The violence resulted in at hundreds of fatalities and displaced approximately 60,000 individuals.