In a significant constitutional move, Indian President Droupadi Murmu has formally revoked Presidential Rule in the northeastern state of Manipur effective February 4, 2026. The presidential proclamation, published in an extraordinary gazette notification, terminates the emergency governance imposed exactly one year earlier on February 13, 2025.
The restoration of state governance follows the Bharatiya Janata Party’s designation of two-time MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh as Manipur’s next chief minister. The 62-year-old engineer from the Meitei community, who previously served as Municipal Administration Minister, will lead a coalition government featuring unprecedented representation. In a historic power-sharing arrangement, Singh will be assisted by two deputy chief ministers—one from the Kuki-Zo community and another from the Naga community.
Kangpokpi MLA Nemcha Kipgen has already been appointed as the Kuki-Zo deputy chief minister, while the Naga People’s Front is expected to nominate their representative shortly. This tripartite leadership structure aims to address the complex ethnic tensions that have plagued the state.
The original imposition of Presidential Rule occurred following the resignation of former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on February 9, 2025, amid escalating ethnic violence and complete breakdown of constitutional governance. Manipur has endured severe civil unrest since May 2023, with violent clashes between the majority Meitei community and minority Kuki-Zomi tribes resulting in hundreds of fatalities and approximately 60,000 displaced persons.
The conflicts primarily stemmed from disputes over economic benefits, job reservation quotas, and land rights. Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, appointed on January 3, 2026, has been conducting extensive consultations with community stakeholders to restore normalcy in the strategically important northeastern state.
The swearing-in ceremony for the new coalition government is scheduled to occur imminently, marking a critical transition from central rule to democratically elected state administration.