President’s rule imposed in Manipur; Assembly put under suspended animation

New Delhi: The Central government imposed President’s Rule in Manipur on Thursday, placing the state Assembly under suspended animation. This decision followed the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, which led to political uncertainty in the state.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification stating that the tenure of the Manipur Assembly, which runs until 2027, is now suspended. Singh, who led the BJP government, stepped down on February 9, submitting his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla in Imphal after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.

The governor had sent a report to President Droupadi Murmu, recommending Central rule in the state.

“After reviewing the report and other relevant information, I am convinced that governance in the state cannot continue as per the provisions of the Indian Constitution,” the notification stated.

It continued: “Under the powers conferred by Article 356 of the Constitution, I hereby declare that all functions of the state government will be assumed by the President of India.” The notification clarified that legislative powers will now be exercised by or under the authority of Parliament and that references to the governor in constitutional matters will be considered references to the President.

Despite multiple rounds of discussions led by BJP northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, the party failed to reach a consensus on a new chief minister, prompting the imposition of President’s Rule. Patra had met with Governor Bhalla several times before the decision was finalised.

The seventh session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly, initially scheduled to begin on February 10, was declared void by the governor. The last Assembly session in the state concluded on August 12, 2024.

Reacting to the development, the Congress stated that it had been demanding President’s Rule in Manipur for 20 months and accused the Central government of delaying action until the situation had significantly worsened.

“The Indian National Congress has long called for President’s Rule in Manipur. The move comes after the Supreme Court described the state’s governance failure as a ‘complete breakdown of constitutional machinery,’” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on X. Ramesh added that the crisis unfolded despite the BJP’s strong electoral mandate in 2022. He criticized the Union Home Minister’s handling of the situation and questioned the Prime Minister’s absence from Manipur.

Security forces were placed on high alert in response to the imposition of President’s Rule. Officials reported heightened deployments in Imphal Valley, an area that has seen clashes between police and Arambai Tenggol cadres.

Assam Rifles and other paramilitary forces were ordered to conduct flag marches in Imphal to maintain law and order. Officials said security had been tightened since the chief minister’s resignation.

Biren Singh, a former footballer and journalist, served two terms as chief minister after being elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2022. He represents the Heingang assembly constituency in Imphal East district. His tenure was marked by multiple controversies, especially over his handling of ethnic violence.

The violence, which erupted in May 2023 between the Meitei community and Kuki-Zo tribal groups, led to over 250 deaths and mass displacement. Singh faced criticism over his administration’s inability to contain the conflict.

In December 2023, Singh issued a public apology for the violence and called for reconciliation among communities. However, a new controversy arose in February when leaked audio tapes allegedly featured Singh discussing the violence. The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) demanded a forensic investigation into the tapes, prompting the Supreme Court to direct the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) to verify their authenticity.

Singh resigned amid growing dissent within the BJP, with several MLAs expressing dissatisfaction with his leadership and pushing for a new strategy to restore stability in the state.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) welcomed the imposition of President’s Rule, stating that it could offer hope to the Kuki-Zo community.

“Our community has lost trust in the Meitei leadership. President’s Rule provides hope and brings us one step closer to a political resolution,” ITLF leader Ginza Vualzong said.