Presidents’ Rule looms large in Manipur, six month deadline to convene assembly session ends today

BJP yet to decide on consensus candidate to replace Biren Singh

Imphal, Feb 12: The political drama in Manipur is reaching a boiling point, with the possibility of President’s Rule looming large over the state.

The past three days have been hectic, with back-to-back meetings between BJP MLAs and the party’s north-east coordinator, Sambit Patra, but they have been unable to reach a consensus on a successor to caretaker chief minister N Biren Singh.

Singh resigned on Sunday, and since then, the party has been scrambling to find a replacement. However, with the deadline for convening the assembly session ending today, the likelihood of President’s Rule being imposed has increased.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the assembly, which was last adjourned on August 12, 2024, must be convened again within six months, as per Article 174 (1) of the Constitution.

With the deadline fast approaching, the possibility of President’s Rule has become more real. If imposed, the assembly will be put in suspended animation, allowing legislators to try and form a majority government even as President’s Rule remains in place.

It is worth noting that President’s Rule is a provision in the Indian Constitution that allows the central government to take over the administration of a state if the constitutional machinery has broken down. This can happen if the state government is unable to function, or if there is a breakdown of law and order.

In this case, the state has been battling brutal violence for close to two years, which has added to the complexity of the situation.

The BJP’s north-east coordinator, Sambit Patra, and the party’s Manipur chief, Sharda Devi, met with Governor Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday evening, but no statement was issued after the meeting. However, BJP sources indicate that the leaders may have informed the governor that they were yet to decide on Singh’s replacement.

As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that the possibility of President’s Rule is very real, and the state’s political future hangs in the balance.

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