IMPHAL, India, March 28 -- Manipur High Court issued the following order on Feb. 25:

[1] Read this in conjunction with and in continuation of earlier proceedings more particularly, the proceedings dated 23.01.2026.

[2] In the hearing today, learned Attorney General for India Shri R. Venkataramani was before this Court on the Video Conferencing (VC) platform and he is instructed by learned State Counsel Mr. O. Ratan Kumar who is before us in the physical Court. Mr. HS Paonam, learned senior advocate instructed by Mr. A. Arunkumar, Mr. S. Biswajit Meitei, learned senior advocate instructed by Mr. W. Sanatomba and Ms. Ayangleima, learned counsel for respondent Nos. 9 to 15 in Review Petn. No.38 of 2025 and for respondent Nos. 11 to 17 in Review. Petn. No.33 of 2025 and Mr. Ch. Momon, learned counsel for State Election Commission (State of Manipur) are before this Court.

[3] After some arguments, it was submitted by all counsel that the earlier pre-hearing conference held on 24.01.2026 in Imphal remains inconclusive and that it is desirable to try and conclude the same.

[4] Learned Attorney General for India, all the afore-referred learned senior counsel, counsel, agreed to have another pre-hearing conference in the ensuing Yaoshang holidays so as to come up with possible suggestions. Though obvious, we make it clear that the court will ultimately take a call qua any suggestion.

[5] In the interregnum, as regards State Election Commission, (in the light of sub-paragraph (x) of paragraph 64 of the order sought to be reviewed) shall place before this Court a timetable for conducting the elections to the local bodies (Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads) in the next listing. It is made clear that the timetable shall give firm dates for various stages of the election process i.e., from Notification, polling declaration of results, etc..

[6] All the learned senior counsel and counsel very fairly submitted that they would coordinate with the office of the learned Attorney General regarding logistics of the meeting (pre-hearing conference) and this Court is informed by learned Attorney General that Advocate General for State of Manipur would also participate in the meeting as in the previous meeting on 24.01.2026.

[7] Mr. Biswajit, learned senior counsel, on instructions, submitted that he will place before this Court details of payments that have to be made to contractors for work that has been done hitherto.

[8] Let the matter stand over to 13.03.2026.

[9] List on 13.03.2026.

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