Two Kuki-Zo legislators physically attended the eighth session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly in Imphal on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, marking the first physical presence of any Kuki-Zo member in the House since ethnic violence erupted across the state on May 3, 2023. According to the Manipur Legislative Assembly secretariat, Haokholet Kipgen, representing the Saitu Assembly constituency, and Kimneo Haokip Hangshing, representing the Saikul Assembly constituency, were present in the chamber. Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, who is also a Kuki-Zo MLA, participated in the proceedings virtually.
Ten Kuki-Zo MLAs were elected to the 60-member Manipur Assembly during the 2022 state elections. Among them, Vungzagin Valte died earlier in 2026 due to prolonged illness resulting from injuries sustained during a mob attack in Imphal in 2023, according to official assembly records. The exact date of his death in 2026 was not specified in the available legislative records. The ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities, which began on May 3, 2023, has resulted in over 260 deaths and displaced an estimated 62,000 people, according to state government figures.
Chief Minister Welcomes Legislative Return
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, who assumed office on February 4, 2026, welcomed the physical return of the legislators. Speaking on the assembly floor, Chief Minister Singh stated, "This is a good sign from people's representatives, and a welcome step."
Upon entering the chamber, MLA Haokholet Kipgen spoke to reporters regarding his presence in the House. "I am happy to attend a session of the Assembly after a long time," Kipgen said.
While some Kuki-Zo legislators had previously participated in assembly sessions virtually after Chief Minister Singh took office in February 2026, precise counts of remote participants varied across administrative bulletins, with some internal legislative tallies citing three virtual attendees during the February session.
Kuki Inpi Manipur Calls for Boycott
The physical attendance by the two lawmakers proceeded despite an official directive issued on August 31, 2026, by the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex civil body representing the community. According to the KIM public notice, the organization had instructed all 10 Kuki-Zo legislators to boycott the assembly session. The civil body argued that participating in legislative proceedings without a formal political settlement addressing the community demand for a separate administration would conflict with the collective political aspirations of the Kuki-Zo people.
This physical return represents a departure from the legislative boycott maintained since May 2023, during which Kuki-Zo MLAs abstained from the Imphal assembly complex due to security concerns and ongoing hostilities.
Agenda and Security Discussions
The ongoing assembly session agenda includes formal legislative discussions focused on the security situation and the management of ongoing violence in the state. For the Kuki-Zo community, the return of the two MLAs to the physical floor of the legislature presents a divergence between legislative engagement and the boycott directive issued by the Kuki Inpi Manipur. For the Manipur state government, the physical presence of the legislators is viewed by officials as a step toward restoring institutional dialogue within the assembly framework.
