Centre moves to restore popular govt. in Manipur, holds review meets

The Centre is holding talks to restore the popular government in Manipur where the President’s Rule will complete a year on February 13, government sources told The Hindu. The Manipur Assembly is in suspended animation.

Over the past one week, two security review meetings were held under Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan. In the meeting with Mr. Shah on January 2 in Delhi, in which Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla was present, the “pros and cons” of continuing with the President’s Rule were discussed but no decision was conveyed, a senior government official said.

The rehabilitation of internally displaced persons and free movement of people from Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities through national highways were discussed. Around 60,000 people were displaced from their homes and 250 people were killed after ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and the Meitei people erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023.

Over the past one month, around 9,000 displaced people have returned to their homes from relief camps where they had been staying for over two years, another official said.

On January 5, Mr. Mohan held another meeting where the Director General of Military Operations was present along with the State’s Director General of Police, its Chief Secretary, and the Security Adviser. The deployment of security forces in the State was discussed.

On January 14, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs are likely to meet B. L Santhosh, the party’s national general secretary in Guwahati, another official said.

Since there is no provision to extend the President’s Rule beyond a year without moving a Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament, the government is inclined to exercise all options to restore the government, bringing the Meitei and the Kuki-Zo legislators on the same table, the senior government official said. On August 5, 2025, Parliament approved the extension of President’s Rule in Manipur for another six months till February 13.

“If the President’s Rule is extended, a Bill will have to be introduced in the Parliament. The future course of action will depend on the events over the next few days as several meetings are planned. The attempt is to form the government,” said the official.

The attempts are on even as the Kuki-Zo civil society groups have opposed the government formation, insisting on a separate administration instead. The Meitei civil society groups have opposed any move to change the boundaries of the State.

On January 6, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), a conglomerate of Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal groups, reiterating its resolution passed on December 30 said that “Kuki-Zo people cannot and shall not participate in the formation of the Government of Manipur under the present circumstances.”

The statement added, “If any individual chooses to participate in the formation of the Government of Manipur, such participation shall be solely at his or her own responsibility, and the Kuki-Zo Council shall not be held accountable in any manner.”

There are 37 BJP MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, which includes seven Kuki-Zo legislators from the party. In all, there are 10 Kuki-Zo members in the Assembly.

On December 14, the first time since violence erupted in the State, the Meitei and Kuki-Zo MLAs of the State sat face-to-face in a meeting convened by the BJP leadership in Delhi; 34 BJP MLAs attended the meeting.

“Forming a government without the Kuki-Zo MLAs will be futile. Their safety and security will have to be looked into as well. Though no major violence was reported in the past six months, the movement of people from both the communities is affected in valley and hill districts. The government is weighing all options before a decision is taken to form the government,” said the senior official.