Justice Chauhan Heads Manipur Violence Probe
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Imphal
- Feb 26, 2026
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The Centre has appointed Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan as the new chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry tasked with investigating the ethnic violence in Manipur.
The appointment follows the resignation of Justice Ajai Lamba, effective February 28, as per a government order issued on February 26. Justice Chauhan will formally assume office on March 1, according to a notification released by the Ministry of Home Affairs and published in the official gazette.
The Commission of Inquiry was constituted on June 4, 2023, upon the recommendation of the Manipur government, to examine issues of grave public importance arising from the unrest. It was initially headed by Justice Lamba, former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.
The commission’s mandate encompasses a comprehensive examination of the sequence of events and underlying circumstances that precipitated the outbreak of violence. It is also empowered to assess whether any authority or individual was guilty of lapses or dereliction of duty, and to evaluate the adequacy and timeliness of administrative measures undertaken to prevent and contain the disturbances.
Furthermore, the panel is entrusted with scrutinising complaints and representations submitted by individuals and organisations in connection with the violence.
The ethnic clashes erupted on May 3, 2023, in the aftermath of a Tribal Solidarity March organised in the hill districts to oppose the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The ensuing unrest has claimed over 260 lives and triggered extensive displacement and destruction of property.
The conflagration was preceded by mounting tensions over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had sparked a series of localised agitations before escalating into widespread conflict.
With Justice Chauhan at its helm, the Centre has signalled continuity and institutional resolve in the inquiry process, as the commission proceeds with its investigation into one of the most consequential episodes of ethnic strife in Manipur’s recent history.