Parliament extends President's Rule in Manipur by six months

Parliament on Tuesday approved a statutory resolution to extend President's Rule in Manipur for another six months beyond August 13. The resolution, which was passed by the Lok Sabha last week, was approved by the Rajya Sabha, amid ruckus over electoral rolls revision issue in Bihar. Amid protests by Opposition MPs, Chair Harivansh said it was a "constitutional obligation" to pass the resolution. Moving the resolution for passage in the House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said a rift was formed between two communities in Manipur due to a court order. "A rift was created between two communities in Manipur due to a court order. Those who say it is communal violence are wrong..." Rai said amid uproar by Opposition MPs. He also said it has been eight months since President's Rule was imposed in Manipur, adding only one incident of violence has been reported. Later, the Rajya Sabha approved the resolution with a voice vote.

Rajya Sabha on Tuesday adopted the Statutory Resolution to extend President's Rule in Manipur for six more months. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai moved the resolution in the Upper House today amid heavy sloganeering by the opposition. The house adopted the Statutory resolution "continuance in force of the Proclamation dated the 13th Feb'25 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." Earlier on July 30, the Lok Sabha passed the resolution to extend President's rule in Manipur. The President's rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, days after N Biren Singh resigned from the Chief Minister's position. Singh resigned amid violence and political instability that had plagued the state for nearly two years. The decision, exercised under Article 356 of the Constitution, means that the president will now directly control the state's administrative functions through the Governor. The proclamation, published in the Gazette of India issued by the Union Home Ministry, states that the powers of the Manipur Legislative Assembly will be transferred to Parliament, effectively suspending the state government's authority. Under this order, the Governor's powers will now be exercised by the President; the state legislature's authority will be assumed by Parliament; and specific articles of the Constitution, including those concerning legislative procedures and governance, have been suspended to ensure smooth central administration. The President's rule is typically imposed when a state government is deemed incapable of functioning in accordance with constitutional norms. The move follows political instability and concerns about law and order in Manipur. The suspension of legislative powers means that all state laws and decisions will now be made under central authority, either by Parliament or the President. The imposition of the President's rule can last up to six months, subject to parliamentary approval. During this period, the central government will oversee governance, and fresh elections may be called to elect a new assembly. The unrest in Manipur primarily involved clashes between the majority Meitei community and the minority Kuki-Zomi tribes. Tensions escalated over disputes related to economic benefits, job quotas, and land rights. The violence resulted in hundreds of fatalities and displaced approximately 60,000 individuals.