President’s Rule Imposed In Manipur; No Consensus On Biren Singh’s Successor As CM

Imphal: Four days after chief minister N Biren Singh’s resignation, Manipur was on Thursday placed under President’s rule.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an official notification, declaring the President’s rule in the northeastern state.

“I, Droupadi Murmu, President of India, have received a report from the Governor of the State of Manipur and after considering the report and other information received by me, I am satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the Government of that State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of India (hereinafter referred to as the Constitution),” read the notification.

Even after several rounds of discussions between the ruling BJP’s northeast in-charge Sambit Patra and MLAs, no consensus on a new leader could be reached, necessitating the enforcement of President’s rule.

Once President’s rule in imposed, Article 174(1) of the Constitution mandates that state Assemblies must be convened within six months of their last sitting. In Manipur, the last Assembly session was held on August 12, 2024, making Wednesday the deadline for its next sitting.

Governor Ajay Bhalla called off the Budget session, which was scheduled to begin on Monday, following the CM’s resignation on February 9.

Manipur has been on the boil since May 2023, when ethnic violence broke out. Over 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless.