Chief of panel probing Manipur violence quits, ex-Supreme Court judge to take over

Ajai Lamba, the former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, has resigned as chairperson of the three-member Commission of Inquiry notified by the Union Home Ministry in 2023 to probe the Manipur ethnic violence. Former Supreme Court judge Balbir Singh Chauhan, who is heading the judicial inquiry into the violence in Leh city last September, will replace him. The submission or the conclusion of the judicial report on Ladakh violence has not been announced yet. 

Justice (retd.) Lamba told The Hindu that he had quit a few days ago on “personal grounds”.

Since its formation on June 4, 2023, a month after violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people erupted in Manipur, the commission was given four extensions, the latest on December 16, 2025. It has received around 11,000 affidavits.

A government source said the commission has segregated the affidavits and has made a list of people who would depose in Delhi.

“The security and safety of the witnesses will have to be ensured. The commission will take care of their travel, stay and other logistics. As the Kuki-Zo people do not want to go to Imphal to record their statements, arrangements will have to be made in Delhi. Similarly, the Meitei people will also be called to Delhi,” said the source.

Government officials and members of the public are expected to begin recording the evidence soon.

On Thursday (February 26, 2026), a Ministry notification said, “….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).”

It added that the terms of reference and other conditions of the commission shall remain unchanged.

The ethnic violence in Manipur has claimed around 250 lives so far. Thousands of properties have been burnt down, and more than 60,000 people have been displaced. President’s Rule was imposed in the State on February 13, 2025, and on February 4 this year, new Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh took charge.

The commission is mandated to probe the causes, extent of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities, the sequence of events and whether there were any lapses or dereliction of duty in this regard on the part of any of the responsible authorities and individuals.