Manipur violence probe panel gets sixth extension until May 2027

UPDATE - follow-up to Centre gives another extension to panel probing 2023 Manipur violence: The inquiry panel investigating the 2023 Manipur ethnic violence received its sixth extension on Friday, pushing its reporting deadline to May 20, 2027.

Inquiry Details

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs notified the extension for the three-member Commission of Inquiry, which was originally constituted on June 4, 2023. Former Supreme Court judge Balbir Singh Chauhan currently heads the panel. He took over after Ajai Lamba, the former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, resigned as chairperson in February. Justice Chauhan also heads the judicial inquiry into the Leh violence in Ladakh that killed four civilians in September 2025. The Manipur panel has received around 11,000 affidavits so far and is yet to finalise its report.

Conflict Impact

The mandate requires the panel to probe the causes, extent of violence targeting different communities, sequence of events, and any lapses by authorities. The ethnic conflict began on May 3, 2023, after a Tribal Solidarity March in the hill districts. More than 300 people have been killed in clashes between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people, and around 60,000 people were displaced. The conflict has further spread to include clashes between the Kuki and Naga communities, which have killed more than 60 people since February this year. President's rule was imposed in the state twice before a new Chief Minister, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, took oath.

Context

Commissions of inquiry are formal bodies set up by governments to investigate matters of public importance, such as major civil unrest or institutional lapses. They gather evidence and affidavits from affected parties before submitting their final findings to the administration.