The Centre has extended the deadline for the Commission of Inquiry investigating the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur by another six months, giving it until May 20, 2027, to submit its findings. This marks the seventh extension granted to the panel since it was constituted in June 2023.
The three-member commission is currently headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan, who took charge on March 1, 2026, following the resignation of its previous chairperson, former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajai Lamba.
According to a notification published in the Gazette of India, the commission has been directed to submit its report to the Centre "as soon as possible but not later than the 20 May, 2027".
The panel also includes retired IAS officer Himanshu Sekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar.
What is the commission investigating?
The Centre constituted the commission on June 4, 2023, following a recommendation from the Manipur government, which sought an independent inquiry into the violence as a matter of public importance.
The panel was tasked with examining the sequence of events and circumstances surrounding the ethnic clashes that erupted on May 3, 2023, after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts of Manipur.
The march was held to oppose the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The ensuing violence between members of the Meitei and Kuki communities claimed more than 260 lives and left several others injured.
The unrest was preceded by tensions over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had triggered a series of smaller protests and agitations.
The violence subsequently witnessed widespread arson, with houses and properties being burnt down and many residents rendered homeless, according to the Centre's original notification constituting the commission.
Panel tasked with examining administrative lapses
Apart from establishing the sequence of events leading to the violence, the commission has been mandated to determine whether there were any lapses or dereliction of duty by authorities or individuals responsible for maintaining law and order.
It is also examining whether the administrative measures taken to prevent and control the violence and riots were adequate.
The terms of reference further require the panel to consider complaints and allegations submitted by individuals and organisations in connection with the violence.
Justice Lamba, who initially headed the commission, resigned with effect from February 28, 2026. The Centre subsequently appointed Justice Chauhan as his successor, with effect from March 1.
The latest extension comes after the commission was previously given time until November 20, 2026, to complete its inquiry. Despite multiple extensions since its formation, the panel is yet to submit its final report.