The Modi government has listed a resolution to extend President’s Rule in Manipur during the upcoming Parliament session, signaling approval of Governor A.K. Bhalla’s handling of the crisis. This comes amid growing frustration from Meitei MLAs and civil society groups demanding an elected government.
New Delhi:
Even as a section of BJP legislators from Manipur — including former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh — and several civil society groups such as the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) push for the restoration of an elected government in the state, the Centre appears inclined to take a different route.
For the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, beginning July 21, the government has listed eight new Bills for introduction. Among them is a resolution seeking a six-month extension of President’s Rule in Manipur. The move is likely to frustrate the Meitei population and their representatives, who have been aggressively campaigning for the return of democratic governance.
If passed, the extension will effectively serve as an endorsement of the way Governor A.K. Bhalla has handled the volatile and complex situation in the state. The Centre seems satisfied with his administration’s crackdown on insurgent groups, carried out without regard to ethnic affiliations.
Read: Manipur Forces Uncover Massive Arms Cache in Valley Districts
Under the Governor’s watch, security forces have made notable progress — including the seizure of large caches of weapons, persuasive campaigns to encourage public surrender of arms, and the arrest of numerous extortionists over the past five months.
President’s Rule in #Manipur which was imposed on 13 Feb., 2025 is likely to be extended.
While @BJP4India and @RSSorg seem unable to find a consensus CM from 37+ BJP MLAs, the tall-claimed formation of Popular Govt is unlikely in the state. Sadly, the common citizens keep… pic.twitter.com/vuYsRa8dM7
— Dr. Lamtinthang Haokip (@DrLamtinthangHk) July 15, 2025
Key Bills and Parliamentary Agenda
In addition to the resolution on Manipur, the government is set to introduce the following Bills:
- Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill: Aimed at enhancing ease of doing business and improving the ease of living.
- Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill
- Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill: Proposes viable recovery of critical minerals, inclusion of contiguous areas for optimal mining, and expansion of the National Mineral Exploration Trust.
- Geoheritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill: To declare and protect geoheritage sites and geo-relics of national importance.
- National Sports Governance Bill: Seeks to establish standards and institutional capacity for governing sports federations, and mechanisms for resolving disputes.
- National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill
- Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill: Proposes the inclusion of IIM Guwahati under the Act.
Pending legislation likely to be taken up includes:
- Income-Tax Bill: Currently under scrutiny by a select committee.
- Bills of Lading Bill, Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, Coastal Shipping Bill, Merchant Shipping Bill, and Indian Ports Bill.
Opposition to Focus on Foreign Policy, Operation Sindoor
The Opposition INDIA bloc is expected to mount pressure on the government to brief Parliament on several strategic and foreign policy issues, including Operation Sindoor, recent developments in India-China relations, and the proposed India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement.
They are also likely to raise questions about former US President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions that he used trade as leverage to de-escalate military tensions between India and Pakistan.
On Tuesday, Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, met Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to emphasize the Opposition’s agenda for the session.
“The Opposition wants a productive Rajya Sabha session from July 21. For that to happen, a number of strategic, political, foreign policy and socio-economic issues that are of great public concern need to be debated and discussed,” Kharge said in a post on X after the meeting.
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No Mention of IBC Amendment Bill
Interestingly, the tentative list of business released by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats does not include a Bill to amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016. A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance is currently reviewing the IBC’s effectiveness and gathering perspectives from banks and financial institutions. Its next meeting, scheduled for July 29, will include consultations with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
As the Manipur crisis remains unresolved, the Centre’s move to extend President’s Rule signals continuity over change — a decision that may deepen the trust deficit among sections of the state’s population, especially the Meitei community.
