Imphal, May 15: The Centre has extended the tenure of the Commission of Inquiry investigating the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur by another six months, with the panel now required to submit its report by November 20, 2026.
According to a notification issued on May 14, the three-member commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan has been directed to complete the inquiry “as soon as possible but not later than the 20th November, 2026”.
The commission was originally constituted on June 4, 2023, shortly after large-scale violence erupted across Manipur following a “Tribal Solidarity March” organised in the hill districts on May 3 that year. The march had been called to oppose the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
The violence left more than 260 people dead and displaced thousands as houses, shops and other properties were destroyed in widespread arson and clashes. The conflict also exposed deep ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities, with sporadic incidents of violence continuing in several parts of the state long after the initial outbreak.
The inquiry panel was initially headed by former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajai Lamba, who demitted office with effect from February 28 this year. Justice Chauhan took charge as chairman of the commission on March 1.
The latest order marks the fifth extension granted to the inquiry panel. Earlier extensions had been issued in September and December 2024, followed by two additional extensions in May and December 2025. The previous deadline for submission of the report was May 20, 2026.
Under its terms of reference, the commission is examining the sequence of events that led to the outbreak of violence and whether there were lapses or dereliction of duty by authorities or individuals responsible for maintaining law and order.
The panel is also reviewing the adequacy of administrative and security measures taken to prevent the violence and control the situation after clashes broke out. Complaints and representations submitted by individuals and organisations are additionally being examined as part of the inquiry process.
Tensions in Manipur had already been escalating before the violence of May 2023, particularly over eviction drives targeting villages located in reserved forest areas, which had triggered protests in multiple districts.
While announcing the inquiry in 2023, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had described the matter as one of “public importance” given the scale of violence, destruction and displacement witnessed across the state.
