President Rule Imposed in Manipur after CM Biren Singh's resignation

The central government has imposed President's Rule in Manipur on 13 February 2025 under the provision of Article 356 of the constitution. The President's Rule was imposed four days after the resignation of N Biren Singh as the Chief Minister of Manipur.

A notification regarding the imposition of the President’s rule in the state was issued by the Union Home Ministry on 13 February 2025 after President Murmu was satisfied that there has been a breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state following the report of the State Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.

The President has placed the Manipur state assembly under suspended animation. The term of the current of the 12 thManipur Legislative Assembly ends in 2027.

This is the 11th time that President rule has been imposed in Manipur. Amongst states in India, President’s rule has been imposed a maximum 11 times in Manipur.

Manipur has been rocked by ethnic violence between the majority Meitei community and the minority Kuki communities since May 2023 in which more than 250 people have died and thousands displaced.

Resignation of N Biren Singh 

The four time Chief Minister N.Biren Singh who led the BJP government in the state, resigned on 9 February 2025 after meeting with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President

J P Nadda in New Delhi.

In the 60 member Manipur Legislative Assembly, BJP has 37 members. The government was supported by the 6 members of the National people’s Party (NPP) and the 2 members of the Kuki People’s Alliance.

Both the parties later withdrew support to the N Biren Singh government in November 2024 ,protesting against the continuing ethnic violence in the state.

Provision regarding President’s Rules and Article 356

Under Article 356 of the constitution, if the President is satisfied that there has been a breakdown of the constitutional machinery in a state, the President can dismiss the state government and dissolve or suspend the state legislative assembly.

The President can take this action on the basis of the report of the State Governor or otherwise.

It is popularly called as President’s rule or Governor’s rule because all the executive power of the state government is assumed by the President, who in turns delegates this power to the state governor.

Impact of the President Rule

All the executive power of the state is transferred to the President.

In case of dissolution or suspension of the state legislative assembly,  the legislative function of the state is performed by the Parliament. It means the Parliament will pass the state budget etc of the state during the President's rule.

There is no impact on the power and jurisdiction of the High Court.

There is no effect on the fundamental rights of the citizens residing in the state.

Duration of the President’s Rule 

The President rule is valid for a period of 6 months and it can be extended for further 6 months if it is approved by the Parliament with a simple majority.

The President rule can be imposed for a continuous maximum period of 3 years in a state.

However, after one year , the President rule can be extended by the Parliament only in either of the conditions:

• The Election Commission of India certifies that it cannot hold free and fair election in the state 
• or 
• National emergency has been declared in the whole of India or part of India by the President under the provisions of Article 352..

History of President’s Rule in India

Article 356 has been one of the most misused articles of the Indian constitution. It has been  liberally used by the central government to dismiss state governments ruled by opposition parties in the state. However after the Supreme Court judgement in the S.R.Bommai case in 1994, the misuse of the Article 356 has almost stopped. 

President Rule has been imposed 135 times since 26 January 1956 when the constitution was promulgated.

First Time- in Punjab on 20th June 1951.

Maximum times - Manipur (11), Uttar Pradesh  (10),Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab (9 times each).

Longest time period - Jammu and Kashmir 4668 days(12 years 9 months), Punjab 3878 days (10 years 7 months), Puducherry -2739 days. 

Maximum use of Article 356 by a Prime Minister 

Indira Gandhi - 51 times in her almost 16 years of rule

Pandit Nehru -7 times 

Chandrashekhar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chaudhary Charan Singh - 5 times each 

Never been used by a Prime Minister -Inder Kumar Gujral is the only Prime Minister during whose tenure the Article 356 was not used.