The Manipur administration remained in a state of uncertainty on Tuesday (February 11, 2025) evening as the Union government waited for an alternative leadership to emerge within the State’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two days after N. Biren Singh stepped down as Chief Minister.
The Manipur Assembly’s last session was on August 12, 2024, meaning that the six-month period within which an Assembly shall meet lapses on Wednesday (February 12, 2025). However, the Centre will wait a few more days before any formal decision is taken regarding the imposition of President’s Rule, a government official told The Hindu.
According to Article 174 (1) of the Constitution, “six months shall not intervene” between the last sitting of the Assembly in one session and the date appointed for its first sitting in the next session. No notification summoning the Assembly was issued by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Tuesday.
However, the official noted that the provision does not explicitly state that the Assembly must be dissolved in case the six-month period has lapsed. According to a 2002 Supreme Court judgement in the Bharatbhai Bhagwanjibhai vs State of Gujarat case, “Merely because the time schedule fixed under Article 174 cannot be adhered to, that per se cannot be a ground for bringing into operation Article 356 (President’s Rule).”
No claims staked
After Mr. Singh resigned on February 9, none of the parties in the State — neither the ruling BJP nor the Opposition parties, including the Congress — had staked their claim to form the government till late on Tuesday night. Mr. Singh continues as the State’s caretaker Chief Minister.
Another senior government official said that the next step would be the Governor submitting a report to the President of India on the constitutional crisis in the State.
“The President may seek legal opinion and Article 74 of the Constitution says that the office is bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Since the PM is travelling abroad, it is not clear when the Union Cabinet will meet. The decision on President’s Rule may be taken after his return,” the official said.
Internal chaos
Sambit Patra, in charge of the BJP’s affairs in the northeast, held separate closed-door meetings with all Imphal-stationed legislators of the BJP and other NDA constituents for the second successive day. No consensus has been reached on Mr. Singh’s successor.
Along with State BJP president A. Sharda Devi and some legislators, Mr. Patra met Mr. Bhalla in the afternoon after a meeting with Mr. Singh, indicating that the party is divided into pro- and anti-Biren Singh camps.
Earlier in the day, some MLAs told journalists that the BJP’s central leadership would nominate the next Chief Minister at an appropriate time.
The Congress, meanwhile, pointed out that Tuesday (February 11) was the last day for a constitutionally-mandated sitting of the State’s 60-member Assembly. It said that Article 174(1) stipulates that there cannot be more than a six-month gap between two Assembly sessions.
Appeal for calm
Amid the political drama, the Army’s Nagaland-based 3 Corps chief, Lt. Gen. Abhijit S. Pendharkar visited Imphal to review the “operational preparedness of formations and units” in Manipur. The review, indicating a greater role for the armed forces in Manipur’s security, coincided with the State government’s appeal to citizens to stay calm and not fall prey to unverified news, rumours, or misinformation that may cause unnecessary panic or disrupt peace and harmony in the State.
A statement issued by Chief Secretary P.K. Singh said: “It has also come to the notice of the government that certain unscrupulous individuals and groups may deliberately attempt to incite unrest, disrupt harmony and spread fear among the public using false information, inflammatory content or fabricated narratives. Such attempts are intended to create lawlessness, and the public is strongly advised not to give heed to such misinformation or incitement.”
Issuing a control room number for people to contact to confirm any news or information they come across, the government urged community leaders, civil society organisations, religious leaders, student organisations, intellectuals, and citizens to foster unity, prioritise peace, and work towards rebuilding trust.
Journalist abducted, released
The statement was issued hours after Imphal-based senior journalist Yambem Laba was abducted by a group of about 20 gunmen from his residence at around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday. His abductors released him at around 1 p.m.
Mr. Laba, a former member of the Manipur Human Rights Commission, has been a critic of Mr. Singh. Members of his family said his abduction could have been connected to his views on the political crisis and armed radical groups expressed in a televised talk show on Monday night.
A few days ago, unidentified gunmen had fired at his house in the Uripok Yambem Leikai area of Imphal and allegedly asked him to delete a Facebook post criticising Mr. Singh and an armed radical group.
Meitei extremists arrested
On Tuesday, the security forces arrested nine extremists from the State’s Imphal West and Tengnoupal districts. The nine were members of four banned outfits catering to “Meitei nationalism”: the Kangleipak Communist Party (Apunba), Kangleipak Communist Party (Taibanganga), United National Liberation Front (Koireng), and the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak.
The weapons seized from the extremists included two INSAS rifles, an AK-47 rifle, a light machine gun, and a Colt 7.65 mm pistol.
