Khagendra named Acting Chairperson of rights panel
MHRC receives fresh breath of life
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 22 2025: After nearly a year of lying paralysed, a new life has been breathed into the Manipur Human Rights Commission with the appointment of an Acting Chairperson.

The Commission's incumbent Member, Kangjam Khagendra Singh has been authorised by the Government to act as the Chairperson until a new Chairperson is appointed.

A notification to this effect was issued on August 21 .

Notably, the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) was lying dormant for 361 days (from August 24, 2024 to August 20, 2025) until the August 21 notification reactivated it.

The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) was established on June 27, 1998 .

The Commission became headless after the retirement of its Chairperson, Justice Utpalendu Bikas Saha on August 24, 2024 .

Without a Chairperson or an Acting Chairperson, the MHRC was unable to hear complaints/cases for nearly a year.

Significantly, the latest order of the Government authorising Kangjam Khagendra, Member MHRC to act as the Chairperson is seen as a crucial development that would help the State address the issue of human rights violations.

Kangjam Khagendra was first appointed as the Member of the MHRC along with Justice UB Saha as the Chairperson on February 3, 2023.Interestingly, Kangjam Khagendra is not the first Member of the MHRC to have been authorised to act as the Acting Chairperson.

Persistently dogged by delays or non appointment of a regular Chairperson, the MHRC was earlier headed by Khaidem Mani as the Acting Chairperson before the appointment of Justice UB Saha.

Before the appointment of Khaidem Mani as the Acting Chairperson on August 31, 2018, the MHRC was without a Chairperson for about 8 years.

UB Saha's appointment as a regular Chairperson came, notably, 5 months after Khaidem Mani's term as the Acting Chairperson ended on August 31, 2022 .

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