The Centre has extended the tenure of the Commission of Inquiry probing the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur by another six months, with the panel now directed 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 asked to complete the inquiry “as soon as possible but not later than the 20th November, 2026.”
The commission was constituted on June 4, 2023, following the outbreak of large-scale violence across Manipur after the “Tribal Solidarity March” organised in the hill districts on May 3, 2023 against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
More than 260 people were killed and thousands displaced during the violence, which also led to widespread destruction of houses and properties. The unrest exposed deep ethnic divisions between the Meitei and Kuki communities, with sporadic incidents continuing in several areas.
Justice Chauhan took over as chairperson of the panel on March 1 this year after former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajai Lamba stepped down from the post.
The latest order marks the fifth extension granted to the commission. The previous deadline for submission of the report was May 20, 2026.
The panel is examining the sequence of events leading to the violence, possible lapses by authorities responsible for maintaining law and order, and the adequacy of administrative and security measures taken during the crisis. It is also reviewing complaints and representations submitted by individuals and organisations in connection with the violence.