Manipur Assembly Resumes After 18-Month Hiatus
The Manipur Legislative Assembly resumed sittings after over one-and-a-half years, a day after President’s Rule was lifted and a new BJP-led government was sworn in.
IMPHAL- The Manipur Legislative Assembly convened its seventh session of the 12th term on Wednesday, marking the first resumption of legislative proceedings in over one-and-a-half years, amid continuing ethnic tensions in the state.
The session was held at the Assembly Hall in Imphal at 4 pm, a day after President’s Rule was revoked and a new BJP-led government assumed office under Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh. The House was summoned by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla under Article 174(1) of the Constitution.
The session began with the Governor’s address, which lasted over an hour and outlined the government’s stated priorities, including peace-building, rehabilitation of displaced persons, development, and administrative reforms in the aftermath of prolonged ethnic violence.
Also Read- Protests in Churachandpur Against Nemcha Kipgen
The previous regular session of the Assembly was held between July 31 and August 12, 2024. Subsequent efforts to convene the House, including a proposed Budget session in February 2025, could not be held due to escalating violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. The unrest culminated in the resignation of then Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on February 9, 2025, followed by the imposition of President’s Rule on February 13, 2025.
Central administration continued for nearly a year, until President’s Rule was lifted on February 4, 2026. On the same day, Khemchand Singh, a senior BJP MLA from Singjamei and former Speaker of the Assembly, was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Manipur at Lok Bhavan in Imphal.
Also Read- Ukhrul Police Destroy Over 490 Acres of Poppy Crops
The new Council of Ministers includes two Deputy Chief Ministers: Nemcha Kipgen, representing the Kuki-Zo community from Kangpokpi, and Losii Dikho, representing the Naga community. The BJP-led coalition holds a comfortable majority in the 60-member Assembly, with the BJP alone holding 32 seats. A floor test is expected to be conducted during the session to formally establish the government’s majority.
However, the resumption of Assembly proceedings has been overshadowed by protests in Kuki-Zo-dominated hill districts. Several organisations, including the Kuki Inpi Manipur, Kuki-Zo Council, and the Joint Forum of Seven, have opposed the new government, describing it as Meitei-centric and inadequate in addressing the political roots of the ethnic conflict that began in May 2023.
Also Read- 16 Labourers Dead in Meghalaya Mine Blast
Key developments accompanying the Assembly’s resumption include the announcement of a social boycott against Kuki-Zo MLAs who joined the government, protests in Churachandpur and other hill districts, a 12-hour bandh across Kuki-Zo-inhabited areas on February 6, and demonstrations outside Manipur Bhawan in New Delhi.
The ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023 has claimed more than 260 lives and displaced tens of thousands, entrenching deep divisions between the Meitei-majority valley and tribal communities in the hills.
Political observers say the current Assembly session represents a crucial test for the new government, with its handling of peace, rehabilitation, and inclusive governance likely to shape Manipur’s immediate political trajectory. The House is expected to take up discussions on law and order, relief measures, and development initiatives in the days ahead.
