The Union Home Ministry on Thursday appointed Justice Balbir Singh Chouhan, a former judge of the Supreme Court, as chairman of the three-member probe committee set up on June 4, 2023 to probe ethnic violence in Manipur. Chouhan will take over as president on March 1, according to a government notification, which said the government has accepted the resignation of the incumbent president, Justice Ajay Lamba (retd).
In November last year, the international investigation committee was given until May 20, 2026 to submit its report – the fifth such extension granted to the committee. The previous deadline was November 20, 2025. The probe committee has two offices: one in Imphal, Manipur and the other in New Delhi.
A source familiar with the matter said that retired judge Lamba resigned for personal reasons. “The investigation is going through a crucial phase, where evidence and material data will be recorded in New Delhi. This will require the presence of all members of the committee at the New Delhi office every day. Due to some personal issues related to logistics and travel, which are unrelated to the investigation, the retired judge has resigned from the investigation. The resignation has been accepted.”
The Union Home Ministry notification stated: “In continuation of Notification No. SO 2424 (E) dated 4 June 2023 of the Government of India (Ministry of Home Affairs), which was subsequently amended by Notification(s) dated 13 September 2024; 3 December 2024; 20 May 2025 and 16 December 2025, and consequent acceptance of the resignation of Hon’ble Justice Ajay Lamba, former Chief Justice of the Court of Gauhati High Court from the office of Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry appointed for the purpose of conducting an inquiry into a specific matter of public importance, namely incidents of violence in Manipur, with effect from 28.02.2026, the Central Government hereby appoints His Honor Justice Balbir Singh Chouhan, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, with effect from 01.03.2026, as Chairman 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 inquiry committee, which was earlier headed by former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajay Lamba, was set up on June 3, 2023. The committee, which also includes retired IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar, was tasked with investigating the causes and spread of violence and riots targeting people from different communities, which began on May 3, 2023.
The committee was supposed to submit its report to the central government “as soon as possible but no later than six months from the date of its first session (June 4, 2023).”
According to a government notification, the Independent Commission of Inquiry will investigate the sequence of events leading to the violence, all facts relating thereto, any lapses or dereliction of duty by the authorities or individuals responsible, and the adequacy of administrative measures taken to prevent and deal with violence and riots.
