Saikul MLA Kimneo Haokip Hangshing and Saitu MLA Haokholet Kipgen attended the eighth session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly in Imphal on Wednesday, marking the first in-person attendance by Kuki legislators since the ethnic conflict began in May 2023.
Their arrival came despite an appeal by the Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex Kuki civil body, which had urged all 10 Kuki-Zo legislators to stay away from the session, saying their attendance could signal normalcy despite the absence of a political settlement on the community’s demands.
Since the conflict began, Kuki MLAs had attended Assembly sessions virtually. The physical presence of the two legislators in Imphal marked a departure from that practice.
The three-sitting session is scheduled to discuss several issues, including the security situation and violence in the state. The revised List of Business includes concerns over a reported India-Myanmar land-swap proposal and atrocities during the conflict, including incidents in Jiribam, Tronglaobi, Saheibung and along the Imphal-Tamei road.
The House is also scheduled to take up the first batch of Supplementary Grants for 2026-27 and introduce several Bills, including amendments related to town and country planning, paddy land and wetlands, GST and AYUSH, besides the Right to Business and Investment Facilitation Bill. It will also consider resolutions concerning the Factories (Manipur Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024.
Meanwhile, 14 civil society organisations of Kangleipak urged Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen to attend the session and participate in the proceedings. They also called on political leaders to take part in the Assembly proceedings and move an Adjournment Motion on issues affecting the state.
The development came as the state government maintained that Manipur was gradually returning to normalcy, with the resumption of the Imphal-Guwahati bus service after more than three years cited as another sign of improvement.
