Imphal, July 22: The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has submitted a formal memorandum to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, seeking constitutional clarity on whether the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly remains valid following the imposition of President’s Rule earlier this year. The party has raised five pointed constitutional questions, invoking Article 174 of the Indian Constitution, to determine the status of the Assembly, which has not met since August 2024.

Led by N. Bhupenda Meitei, AICC Executive Panel member of the Department of Law, HR and RTI, the MPCC delegation submitted the letter through party president Keisham Meghachandra. The letter questions whether the Assembly is “alive,” “dead,” “deemed dissolved,” or still eligible for dissolution under Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution. It also raises doubts over whether the Governor would be constitutionally permitted to summon a future Assembly session to facilitate a floor test for a prospective new Chief Minister.

Addressing reporters outside Raj Bhavan, Bhupenda stated that the Governor had initially summoned a new Assembly session for February 11, 2025, through a notification issued on January 24. However, the session was abruptly nullified on February 9—the same day Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned and his Council of Ministers was dissolved. Two days later, on February 13, President’s Rule was imposed in the state, plunging it into direct Central administration.

The MPCC contends that the cancellation of the February session, combined with the lapse of over six months since the last sitting in August 2024, violates Article 174(1), which mandates that a state legislative assembly must meet at least once every six months. This procedural lapse, according to the Congress, could render the Assembly constitutionally defunct.

The political crisis in Manipur has deepened since Biren Singh’s resignation, which reportedly occurred under pressure from internal dissidence within the BJP and growing public outcry. The resignation came shortly after the Supreme Court ordered the Central Forensic Science Laboratory to examine audio tapes allegedly featuring Biren inciting ethnic tensions in the state.

With Manipur still under President’s Rule and the Assembly in suspended animation, the MPCC has demanded the Governor’s urgent clarification on the legal standing of the 12th Assembly. The party also hinted at possible legal recourse if ambiguity persists.