Manipur Appoints Zilla Parishad Chairs to Revive Rural Governance

Imphal: Manipur officials filled key leadership roles in six valley districts to jumpstart stalled local government. The government appointed R.K. Taruni Devi for Imphal West, W. Bimola Devi for Imphal East, Kh. Janaki Devi for Jiribam, Romabai for Bishnupur, Ph. Jiten Singh for Kakching, and Khoirom Sanakhomba Singh for Thoubal.

Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh met the group on October 7 at his secretariat in Mantripukhri. He pressed them to improve public service delivery. The Chief Minister stated, "Grassroots governance plays an important role in the effective implementation of welfare schemes."

Elections have been stuck since 2022. Ad-hoc committees ran the show for four years while civil groups like All Manipur Nupi Marup and State Panchayat Parishad complained. The state now faces a hard October 16, 2026, deadline for the 6th General Panchayat Elections.

The state cabinet tried for an October 1 vote, but botched constituency delimitation killed that plan. Now, the government must finish the process or face contempt from the Supreme Court. Justices N. Kotiswar Singh and N.V. Anjaria upheld the court-ordered timeline on July 2.