Imphal: The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday extended the tenure of the Commission of Inquiry probing the 2023 Manipur violence, allowing it time until May 20, 2026, to submit its report, according to a government notification.
The three-member commission, headed by former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajai Lamba, was constituted on June 4, 2023, following the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur on May 3 that year, which claimed at least 260 lives. The panel also includes retired IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar.
As per the notification issued by the Home Ministry, the commission is now required to submit its findings to the Central government “as soon as possible but not later than May 20, 2026”.
The commission was tasked with examining the causes and spread of the violence, including riots involving members of different communities. Initially, it was directed to submit its report within six months from the date of its first sitting, as stipulated in the notification issued at the time of its formation.
Since then, the panel has been granted multiple extensions—on September 13, 2024, December 3, 2024, and May 20, 2025. The latest extension marks the fourth time the deadline for submitting the report has been extended.
Under its terms of reference, the commission is mandated to examine the sequence of events that led to the violence, identify any lapses or dereliction of duty by responsible authorities or individuals, and assess the adequacy of administrative measures taken to prevent and respond to the violence and riots.
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The Union Home Ministry has said that the commission will also consider complaints or allegations submitted by individuals or organisations during the course of the inquiry.
