Chief of panel probing Manipur violence quits, ex-Supreme Court judge to take over
Commission set up after May 2023 Manipur violence was to submit report within six months
Justice Ajay Lamba, former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, who was heading the three-member judicial commission set up to inquire into incidents of violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023, resigned from his position on Thursday.
The Central government has appointed former Supreme Court Judge Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan in Lamba’s place.
The reasons behind Justice Lamba’s resignation remain unclear.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs said, “In continuation of the notification number S.O. 2424 (E) dated 4th June, 2023 of the Government of India (Ministry of Home Affairs), which has subsequently been amended through notification(s) dated 13th September, 2024; 3rd December, 2024; 20th May, 2025 and 16th December, 2025, and consequent upon the acceptance of resignation of Honourable Justice Ajai Lamba, former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court from the post of the Chairperson of Commission of Inquiry appointed for the purpose of making an inquiry into a definite matter of public importance, namely, incidents of violence in Manipur, w.e.f. 28.02.2026, the Central Government hereby appoints Honourable Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan, former Justice in Supreme Court of India, w.e.f. 01.03.2026, as Chairperson of the said Commission in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section 3 of section (3) of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 (60 of 1952).”
The Commission, which was set up soon after ethnic violence had erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, more specifically after Home Minister Amit Shah had visited the state on May 29, 2023, to take stock of the situation, was supposed to submit its report on the reasons behind the violence in six months’ time, however despite repeated extensions, it has failed to do so till date.
As per the latest deadline, the committee is now scheduled to submit its report to the Centre on May 20, 2026.
The other two members of the commission are retired IAS officer Himanshu Sekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar.
The panel was tasked to inquire into the causes and spread of the violence and determine whether there were lapses on the part of any authorities or individuals.
The violence in Manipur between majority Meitei and tribal Kuki communities has claimed more than 250 lives and displaced over 60,000 people across the state.
