NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is all set to begin the New Year by holding a high-level meeting to review the situation in the violence-hit Manipur on January 2, as the President’s Rule in the state is nearing to an end on February 13.
With relative peace achieved so far, the state is poised to move towards getting a political solution and the review meeting would be critical, as it will be attended by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Manipur Government Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Chief Secretary PK Goel and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh among other senior functionaries of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), sources said.
It is learnt from the sources that the Governor and all the key state officials have arrived in the National Capital for the meeting, as they said that the agenda of the deliberations mostly revolves around law and order, security arrangements and issues relating to developmental initiatives.
Incidentally, the Home Minister is holding the review meeting at a time when the President’s Rule in the state is going to end on February 13 and political parties and local leaders are exploring the possibility of government formation.
A source said, "During the meeting chaired by the Home Minister, issues relating to recent developments on the ground will be reviewed. An assessment will also be made on the prevailing law and order situation and coordinated security deployment. A discussion is also expected to take place on the development initiatives aimed at rebuilding infrastructure around areas inhabited by communities affected by spells of violence for the past two and half years."
Ensuring a stable and secure environment will be critical if the Centre decides to facilitate a political process to kick-in in the state, sources added.
Immediately after the resignation of former Chief Minister N Biren Singh following the sustained ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, the state was put under Central rule.
Since then, the state has been administered directly by the Governor with the support of central security forces. Parliament approved successive extensions of President’s Rule, the latest in August 2025, extending it until mid-February 2026.
The sources also indicated that the deliberations at the January 2 meeting and its outcome are likely to set the tone for re-starting the political process in the state and restoration of democratic governance, as part of the Centre’s larger goal of achieving peace and accelerating development in the state.