Imphal/New Delhi: The northeastern state of Manipur, grappling with prolonged violence and facing a looming constitutional crisis, has been placed under President’s Rule once again. This decision came shortly after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned, following mounting dissension within the ruling party and a looming threat from the Congress to bring a no-confidence motion and force a floor test. This marks the 11th instance since 1951 that President’s Rule has been imposed in Manipur.
A statement issued by President Droupadi Murmu’s office confirmed the imposition, citing the Governor’s report. The statement highlighted that the state had reached a point where its government could no longer function in accordance with the provisions of India’s Constitution.
The central government intervened after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to resolve the internal conflicts surrounding the appointment of a new Chief Minister. The assembly could not be convened due to the lack of consensus on leadership, despite discussions being held by BJP leaders in Imphal. Sambit Patra, the BJP’s northeast in-charge, engaged in talks with party MLAs but failed to reach a conclusion, even after initial signs of progress earlier in the week.
The BJP had hoped to settle the leadership issue after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return from a visit to the United States, but time was running out. According to Article 174(1) of the Indian Constitution, state assemblies must be convened within six months of their last sitting. In Manipur, the assembly’s last session was on August 12, 2024, and the budget session, which was supposed to begin recently, had to be indefinitely postponed following the resignation of the Chief Minister and his Cabinet. The deadline for convening the assembly expired, and thus, President’s Rule had to be imposed by the evening.
This marks the 11th time since 1951 that President’s Rule has been enforced in the state, with the last occurrence being from June 2, 2001, to March 6, 2002, lasting 277 days. With the imposition of President’s Rule once more, Manipur is once again under the direct control of the Union Government, after 23 years of relative autonomy.
The political turmoil in Manipur has been deeply influenced by the ongoing ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, which has resulted in over 200 deaths since May 2023. The violence has not subsided, and the state continues to remain in a state of unrest. The opposition Congress party has been vocal in accusing both the state and central governments of failing to control the situation and restore peace. The party repeatedly called for the resignation of the Chief Minister, with escalating tensions and protests.
In November 2023, the National People’s Party, led by Conrad Sangma, withdrew its support from the ruling government, further weakening its position. Although the BJP maintained a majority in the 60-member assembly, the political pressure from both within and outside the party eventually led to the resignation of Biren Singh. Around a dozen BJP MLAs, amid growing public discontent, pushed for a change in leadership, creating a leadership vacuum.
Adding fuel to the fire were leaked audio tapes that allegedly implicated Biren Singh in inciting the violence. The Congress claimed that the tapes, verified by a forensic lab that found a 93% match to Singh’s voice, provided concrete evidence of his involvement. The matter reached the Supreme Court, which has ordered a report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory regarding the authenticity of the tapes.
