The President’s Rule in Manipur has been extended until August 13, 2025, according to a recent Parliamentary Bulletin from the Rajya Sabha, as the state continues to grapple with political instability and ongoing ethnic violence.
The extension comes in the wake of the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh earlier this year, which triggered the imposition of President’s Rule on February 13, 2025 under Article 356 of the Constitution.
A resolution for the extension was introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who also holds the Cooperation Ministry portfolio. The bulletin reads:
“That this House approves the continuance in force of the Proclamation dated the 13th February, 2025 in respect of Manipur, issued under article 356 of the Constitution by the President, for a further period of six months with effect from 13th August, 2025.”
Manipur has been mired in ethnic violence since May 2023, with over 250 lives lost and thousands displaced. The conflict has primarily involved the Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo tribal groups in the surrounding hill districts. While initial clashes were geographically contained, the violence escalated in 2024 and spread to new regions, including the Jiribam district, bordering Assam.
The unrest has severely disrupted governance in the state. Governor Anusuiya Uikey Bhalla had earlier declared the proposed seventh session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly, scheduled for February 10, 2025, as null and void. The Assembly has not met since August 2024, creating a deep legislative vacuum.
With no elected government in place and the legislature non-functional, there remains widespread uncertainty over the state’s political future. The Centre’s extension of President’s Rule underscores both the fragility of the security situation and the lack of political consensus to restore normalcy.
The government has not yet indicated when fresh elections or a political resolution might be possible, leaving Manipur’s democratic institutions in limbo amid a deepening humanitarian and governance crisis.
