Special Intensive Revision begins in Manipur's Kangpokpi amid KIM's objection over displaced persons exclusion

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls commenced in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Thursday, June 4 with substantial public participation, even as Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki tribes, demanded the immediate suspension of the exercise until adequate provisions are made for thousands of conflict-displaced voters across the state.

The revision exercise began at the Community Hall in Kangpokpi Town, covering 18 localities under the district headquarters. To facilitate the smooth conduct of the process, the Kangpokpi Town Committee (KTC) extended logistical support to the district administration by preparing a locality-wise roster for residents.

As per the schedule prepared by the KTC, residents from Zonlhing Veng (Ward No. 1), Tintong Veng (Ward No. 2), and Vengthah (Ward No. 3) participated in large numbers on the opening day. Election officials remained engaged throughout the day as enrolment and verification activities progressed.

The roster indicates that the SIR exercise in Kangpokpi Town is scheduled to continue until June 10.

However, the launch of the electoral revision coincided with strong objections from KIM, which termed the exercise "unacceptable" under the prevailing circumstances and expressed concern over the exclusion of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the process.

In a statement, the organisation highlighted that nearly 59,000 Kuki-Zo internally displaced persons remain away from their original places of residence due to the ethnic conflict in Manipur and are unable to effectively participate in the ongoing revision exercise.

KIM stated that it had expected the government to first establish practical and accessible mechanisms enabling displaced citizens to exercise their electoral rights before initiating such a significant democratic exercise.

The organisation argued that conducting the revision without ensuring the participation of a substantial section of the affected population undermines the principles of democratic representation and inclusivity.

According to KIM, any electoral roll revision undertaken without the participation of displaced persons would remain incomplete and raise concerns regarding the representative character, legitimacy and credibility of the electoral rolls.

The organisation urged the government and district administrations to immediately put in place inclusive arrangements that would allow all displaced persons to be duly enrolled and participate fully in the revision process.

KIM further warned that continuing the exercise without such provisions would not only be unjust but could also cast doubts on the legitimacy and credibility of the entire revision exercise.

Reiterating its demand, the apex body stressed that no displaced citizen should be excluded from the electoral revision process and called for satisfactory arrangements before the exercise proceeds further.

The statement comes amid growing concerns among Kuki-Zo civil society organisations regarding the implementation of the SIR in conflict-affected areas, where thousands of people continue to remain displaced more than three years after ethnic violence erupted in Manipur.