New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday revoked President’s Rule in Manipur with immediate effect, clearing the way for the formation of a new elected government in the violence-hit northeastern state. The move comes a day after the BJP named two-time MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh as Manipur’s next Chief Minister.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification withdrawing central rule, which had been in place for nearly a year. According to a proclamation published in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary), the President annulled the earlier order imposed under Article 356(2) of the Constitution.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of article 356 of the Constitution, I, Droupadi Murmu, President of India hereby revoke the Proclamation issued by me under the said article on the 13th day of February, 2025, in relation to the State of Manipur with effect from the 4th day of February, 2026,” reads the proclamation.

President’s Rule had been imposed on February 13, 2025, following the resignation of then Chief Minister N Biren Singh and a report from the Governor citing a breakdown of constitutional machinery.

On Tuesday, the BJP announced Yumnam Khemchand Singh as the leader of its legislature party after a meeting of party MLAs at the BJP headquarters. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday.

Singh, 62, belongs to the Meitei community and is an engineer by training. He has earlier served as Municipal Administration Minister in the Biren Singh-led government and had also been a contender for the chief minister’s post after the 2022 Assembly elections.

In a bid to address ethnic representation, the new government will have two deputy chief ministers. One will be from the Kuki-Zo community and the other from the Naga community. Kangpokpi MLA Nemcha Kipgen has been named as a Deputy CM, while alliance partner Naga People’s Front is expected to announce the Naga deputy chief minister soon.

Manipur has been under severe strain since ethnic clashes erupted on May 3, 2023, between the Meitei community and the Kuki-Zomi tribes. The violence, driven by disputes over land rights, reservations, and economic benefits, claimed hundreds of lives and displaced nearly 60,000 people, triggering prolonged law-and-order challenges.

The political crisis deepened after N Biren Singh resigned on February 9, 2025, leading to the imposition of President’s Rule days later. Since then, the state has been administered by the Centre.

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who assumed office on January 3, has been engaging with various sections of society to assess the situation and explore measures to restore normalcy.

With the withdrawal of President’s Rule and the appointment of a new chief minister, the focus now shifts to rebuilding governance structures and addressing the deep social and political fractures left by nearly two years of unrest.

BI Bureau