The Commission of Inquiry (Manipur Violence), constituted on 4 June 2023 to probe the Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict, concluded a three-day field visit to Manipur on 31 May, during which its members met Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and directly interacted with internally displaced persons (IDPs) across four districts. The visit marks one of the Commission's most extensive ground-level engagements since its formation.

Commission's Field Visits and Interactions

From 29 to 31 May, the judicial panel visited relief camps housing displaced families in Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Imphal West, and Imphal East districts. Among the sites inspected was the prefabricated relief camp at Torbung in Churachandpur district.

During these interactions, camp residents shared first-hand accounts of displacement, hardship, and their expectations regarding rehabilitation, security, and government support. Officials said the exercise was aimed at ensuring the inquiry remains grounded in the lived experiences of communities across both the hill and valley regions.

Meeting with the Chief Minister

The Commission — chaired by retired Justice B.S. Chauhan and comprising members Himanshu Sekhar Das, IAS (Retd.), and Aloka Prabhakar, IPS (Retd.) — held discussions with Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and briefed him on the objectives and progress of the visit, according to an official from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

Commission Secretary Mohan Lal Meena and Commissioner (Home) N. Ashok Kumar accompanied the panel throughout the visits. Senior district officials, including Deputy Commissioner Dharun Kumar S. and Additional Deputy Commissioner Seiminthang Lenthang, were also present during inspections and interactions.

Mandate and Extended Deadline

The three-member Commission has been mandated to examine the root causes of the unrest, trace the sequence of events that triggered the violence, assess any lapses in the administrative response, and identify factors that contributed to the conflict's escalation. It has also been tasked with recommending measures to prevent recurrence and facilitate the restoration of lasting peace in the state.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently extended the Commission's tenure, pushing the deadline for submission of its final report to 20 November 2026. The extension signals that the inquiry — encompassing hearings, testimonies, evidence collection, and field visits — remains far from concluded.

Leadership Change and Progress So Far

The Commission was initially headed by Justice (Retd.) Ajai Lamba, former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, before Justice B.S. Chauhan took over as Chairman. Since its formation, the panel has been recording testimonies from stakeholders and affected persons, collecting evidence, and undertaking visits to violence-affected districts.

This comes amid continued displacement of thousands of families from both communities, with many relief camps now entering their third year of operation. The Commission's final report, due by November 2026, is expected to form the basis for any long-term policy response to the conflict.