Imphal/New Delhi: The northeastern hill state of Manipur, which has been plagued by violence for approximately two years and is on the brink of a constitutional crisis, was placed under President’s Rule this evening. This decision was made just days after the Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, resigned in response to a Congress threat of a no-confidence motion and floor test. This marks the 11th time since 1951 that President’s Rule has been implemented in the state.
The office of President Droupadi Murmu issued a communiqué in which it stated that “after receiving a report from Governor Ajay Bhalla 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.”
The Centre’s action was precipitated by the state BJP’s inability to establish a consensus on the Chief Ministerial candidate, which hindered the convening of the assembly.
In the face of significant opposition, Biren Singh resigned. On Sunday, following his meeting with the Central leadership in Delhi, he tendered his resignation to the Governor.
According to sources, the BJP’s northeast in-charge, Sambit Patra, has been engaging in discussions with MLAs from the party in Imphal. However, despite initial indications of progress on Tuesday, no decision was reached.
The BJP was anticipating the selection of a Chief Minister following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return from his visit to the United States.
However, the state assembly’s failure to convene in a timely manner posed a threat to exceed the constitutionally mandated maximum of six months.
According to Article 174(1) of the Constitution, state assemblies must convene no later than six months following their most recent meeting.
The most recent convening in Manipur occurred on August 12, 2024. Following the resignation of the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers, the assembly’s budget session, which was scheduled to commence on Monday, was postponed indefinitely.
Today was the deadline for the Assembly’s convening, and the state was required to declare President’s Rule in the evening.
11th Time Since 1951
Sambit Patra clarified that the state assembly is currently suspended and has not been dissolved.
This marks the eleventh instance in which Article 356 of the Indian Constitution has been implemented in the northeastern state.
The final imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur lasted for 277 days, commencing on June 2, 2001, and concluding on March 6, 2002.
After 23 years of President’s Rule, Manipur’s residents are now under the direct rule of the Union government.
“The assembly will remain in suspended animation until the situation improves, at which point it will resume its operations,” stated A Sarda Devi, the state BJP chief.
Shadow of Violence
Since May 2023, Manipur has been the site of an ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities, which has resulted in the loss of over 200 lives. The state is still a long way from regaining its equilibrium.
The state’s Opposition Congress, which was under constant political pressure, accused the Central and state governments of failing to take any action to address the situation and reassure the populace, and the prolonged violence ignited a significant political uproar. The Chief Minister’s resignation was also repeatedly demanded by the party.
Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party, which had seven MLAs, withdrew its support from the government in November.
The BJP had the numbers to overcome any crisis, with 32 members in the 60-member assembly. However, they were caught between political pressure and public fury, and approximately 12 BJP MLAs began advocating for a change in leadership.
A few leaked audio recordings, which the Congress claimed proved that the violence was instigated by the then Chief Minister Biren Singh, exacerbated the situation. Truth Labs, a private forensic laboratory that is non-profit, verified that the voice on 93% of the audio recordings was that of Mr. Singh. The Supreme Court has requested a report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory regarding the leaked audio recordings.
On Sunday, Mr. Singh resigned in response to the pressure, which was met with jubilation from the Congress faction, who regarded it as a confirmation of their demand.
“Finally,” Says Congress.
“The imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur is a belated admission by the BJP of their complete inability to govern in Manipur,” Rahul Gandhi of the Congress wrote.
“The Indian National Congress has finally achieved what it has been advocating for nearly two years.” “Manipur has been subjected to President’s Rule,” stated a post by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
“This occurred 15 months after the BJP and its allies secured a significant majority in February 2022, but their political policies were responsible for the catastrophic incident.” His post further stated that the Union Home Minister had manifestly failed to oversee Manipur, which had been assigned to him by the Prime Minister.
