Centre’s panel probing Manipur violence gets six more months to submit report

The MHA had earlier asked the three-member judicial inquiry commission to submit its report by May 20, 2024.

The ministry has asked the panel, constituted 15 months ago, to submit its report no later than November 20. (PTI File Photo)

THE MINISTRY of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday issued a notification extending the deadline of the three-member judicial inquiry commission probing the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur by six months.

The ministry has asked the panel, constituted 15 months ago, to submit its report no later than November 20. Earlier, the MHA had directed the commission to submit its report within six months from the first date of its full sitting — November 20, 2023.

On June 4 last year, the MHA appointed former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajai Lama (retired) as the chairman of the commission, which also included IAS Himanshu Shekhar (retired) and IPS Aloka Prabhakar (retired).

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In a gazette notification issued on Friday, the MHA said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 (60 of 1952), the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs number S.O. 2424 (E), dated June 4, 2023… The Commission shall submit its report to the Central Government as soon as possible but not later than November 20, 2024.”

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Earlier, the MHA had said the commission shall investigate a series of events, including the causes and spread of violence and riots targeting different communities, that started on May 3, 2023 and continued thereafter. The commission is also probing whether there were any lapses or dereliction of duty on the part of the state authorities.

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