When can President’s Rule start?

• Manipur, India, was put under President’s Rule on February 13, following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.

• The ruling BJP still holds a majority in the Manipur Assembly, but the party has struggled to find a consensus Chief Minister candidate.

• The state has been wracked by ethnic violence since May 2023, and Mr. Singh has faced criticism for his handling of the conflict.

• President’s Rule is a provision under Article 356 to be imposed in case of the failure of the constitutional machinery in a State.

• The President can issue a Proclamation taking over the functions of the State’s government and Governor, transferring them to the Union government and transferring the powers of the State Assembly to Parliament.

• The President’s proclamation must be laid before Parliament and expires in two months unless both Houses ratify it.

• The President’s rule can be renewed by Parliament every six months, for a maximum period of three years.

• The most frequent imposition of President’s Rule has been 10 times in Uttar Pradesh.

• The Supreme Court’s judgment in the 1994 S.R. Bommai vs Union of India case also listed the circumstances in which President’s Rule could and could not be imposed.

• Between 1950 and 1994, President’s Rule was imposed 100 times, an average of 2.5 times a year. In the three decades since, it has been imposed 30 times or about once a year.

• Despite being placed under President’s Rule, Manipur’s Assembly has not been dissolved, but it has been kept under suspended animation.