NEW DELHI – Amidst boisterous protests from the Opposition benches over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls, Parliament on Monday successfully navigated the legislative business for Manipur. The Rajya Sabha cleared the state’s budget for the financial year 2025-26 and also passed the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, returning both to the Lok Sabha.
The proceedings in the Upper House were notably marked by the Opposition’s persistent demand for a detailed discussion on the Bihar SIR issue. However, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman strongly criticized the protesting MPs for creating a ruckus during the deliberation on a matter so critical to Manipur, highlighting the irony that those who previously raised concerns about the state were now obstructing its budget.
The passage of the Manipur budget is particularly significant as the state continues to operate under President’s Rule. This central administration, first imposed on February 13, 2025, following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, has now been extended for another six months with parliamentary approval. The appropriation bill grants authority to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund of the State of Manipur for the current financial year’s expenditures.
Manipur has been grappling with political and security turmoil since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023. While Home Minister Amit Shah has attributed the unrest to legal interpretations and ethnic tensions, emphasizing that it was neither a governmental failure nor linked to terrorism or religion, the state’s situation remains a focal point of parliamentary debate and public concern. The budget’s passage is a crucial step towards ensuring the state’s administrative and financial continuity during this period of central rule.
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