Why Kuki Leaders Oppose SIR in Manipur, Allegedly Shielding Illegal Immigrants

Our democracy thrives on the principle that every citizen’s vote shapes the nation’s future, a right enshrined in Article 326 of the Constitution. However, this foundation is under threat in Manipur, besieged by illegal immigration and electoral fraud. 

The Election Commission of India is preparing to implement a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Manipur. 

This exercise, which mirrors the successful cleanup of voter lists in Bihar, is a constitutional necessity to ensure only Indian citizens vote, safeguarding Manipur’s electoral integrity from the infiltration of illegal immigrants from neighboring countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Some Kuki leaders, H.S. Benjamin Mate, Dr. Lamtingthang Haokip and organisations like Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi has portrayed the SIR as a tool for disenfranchising Kuki voters, arguing it is insensitive given the ethnic conflict and displacement. However, the SIR is a legal and essential exercise mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) under Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Representation of People Act, 1950, to ensure only Indian citizens are registered to vote. The state porous 398-km border with Myanmar has facilitated unchecked immigration, raising concerns about illegal immigrants on voter rolls. The ECI’s SIR aims to address this by verifying voter eligibility through house-to-house surveys, a process critical in a state with a history of electoral fraud allegations.

H.S. Benjamin Mate, Chairman of the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), argues in his opinion piece that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Manipur is a politically motivated act aimed at disenfranchising the displaced Kuki community, labelling it as demographic manipulation and institutional injustice. He claims the revision, conducted amid ethnic conflict and displacement, disregards the humanitarian crisis and risks erasing Kuki voters from the democratic process. However, a counter-perspective suggests that Benjamin Mate’s opposition to the SIR may inadvertently or deliberately shield illegal immigrants, undermining electoral integrity.

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By opposing the SIR, they risk obstructing efforts to remove ineligible voters, including potential illegal immigrants, which could compromise the delimitation process planned in 2026 and 2027 elections. Their assertion that the revision is demographically manipulative lacks evidence, as the ECI has emphasized inclusive measures, such as sensitizing political parties and training Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to ensure accuracy and fairness. 

Their allegation that SIR is a pattern of weaponizing electoral processes against marginalized communities, citing past voter deletions in hill districts, is a wrong propaganda. In fact, Manipur’s electoral crisis stems from systemic issues, including the misuse of Aadhaar and other documents by non-citizens, as evidenced by the arrest of a Myanmar national with a fake Aadhaar issued in Manipur. The SIR’s rigorous verification, including door-to-door surveys and document checks, is designed to correct these anomalies, which have persisted due to infrequent intensive revisions—the last in Manipur was over two decades ago.

They have also argued that the absence of peace, mobility, stability, and documentation in Kuki areas makes a fair SIR impossible. While the ethnic conflict complicates logistics, the ECI has demonstrated proactive engagement by conducting training sessions for BLOs and holding meetings with political parties across conflict-affected districts like Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. These efforts suggest the ECI is working to adapt the process to Manipur’s challenging context. Therefore, the demand to postpone the SIR ignores these safeguards and offers no alternative to address the pressing need for clean voter rolls before the 2027 elections.

Moreover, Benjamin Mate’s warning that the Kuki community may declare their lands as a sovereign state if the SIR proceeds is an inflammatory overreach that escalates tensions rather than fostering dialogue. This rhetoric undermines the ECI’s efforts to engage all communities, including Kuki representatives, in the revision process. It also distracts from the practical goal of ensuring electoral fairness, potentially alienating other stakeholders and complicating peace efforts in a state already divided by ethnic violence.

Echoing the voice of Benjamin Mate and Dr Lamtingthang Haokip, The Manipur Tribals Forum Delhi’s (MTFD) call to defer the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in Manipur, citing the need for peace and rehabilitation, overlooks the critical role of the SIR in ensuring electoral integrity. By opposing the SIR, the MTFD risks enabling the inclusion of unverified voters, including potential illegal immigrants, which could undermine the democratic process. The SIR’s stringent verification, excluding easily falsified documents like Aadhaar, is designed to protect legitimate voters, particularly in a region marked by ethnic strife and displacement since May 2023.

The MTFD’s concerns about disenfranchisement are valid but misplaced in opposing the SIR. Instead of postponing, the focus should be on integrating displaced tribals into the revision process through secure, transparent mechanisms. The SIR can coexist with rehabilitation efforts by leveraging technology, like biometric verification, and collaborating with impartial civil society groups to document eligible voters. Postponing the SSR risks prolonging electoral vulnerabilities, potentially allowing non-citizens to exploit the chaos of displacement. A balanced approach—implementing the SIR with accommodations for displaced communities—ensures both democratic inclusiveness and the protection of Manipur’s electoral process from undue influence.

These Kuki bodies’ blanket opposition to the SIR, without proposing constructive alternatives, raises questions about their motives. The SIR targets issues like illegal immigration, which has been a documented concern in Manipur due to its border with Myanmar. By rejecting the revision outright, Mate may inadvertently shield non-citizens who have infiltrated voter rolls, as seen in cases of fake Aadhaar issuance. Their focus on Kuki displacement, while valid, does not negate the need to verify voter eligibility—a process that could protect genuine Kuki voters while excluding ineligible entries. Their utter silence on the 1.3 lakh fake voters flagged by the MPCC or the misuse of documents by non-citizens suggests a selective narrative that prioritizes ethnic grievances over electoral integrity.

The SIR is rooted in the ECI’s authority under Article 324 and Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which mandate accurate electoral rolls. In Bihar, the SIR, launched on June 25, 2025, has proven its efficacy, identifying 65.2 lakh ineligible voters out of 7.9 crore electors, including 22 lakh deceased, 35 lakh who shifted, 7 lakh duplicates, and 1.2 lakh untraceable, many suspected to be illegal immigrants from Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. With 99.8% coverage and 7.23 crore electors submitting digitized forms, the process has set a benchmark for electoral reform. Manipur, facing similar challenges, stands to gain immensely from this rigorous exercise.

Taking a cue from the Bihar success, the ECI has begun preparations in Manipur, training Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and holding meetings with political parties in districts like Kangpokpi, Kamjong, Noney, Ukhrul, and Thoubal. The state’s proximity to Myanmar has led to significant illegal immigration, with 10,675 detected immigrants threatening electoral integrity. The SIR’s door-to-door verification will identify and remove non-citizens, ensuring that only Indian citizens vote in the 2027 elections.

The Election Commission of India’s decision to exclude Aadhaar, Voter ID, and ration cards as standalone proof for inclusion in the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision is a bold and necessary move to protect the sanctity of India’s democratic process, particularly in states like Manipur, where the misuse of Aadhaar cards by illegal immigrants and refugees has become a pressing concern. This decision is grounded in the reality of rampant fake identity documentation and its implications for national security, demographic stability, and electoral fairness.

In Manipur, where illegal immigration has fueled fake Aadhaar rackets and inflated voter rolls, the SIR’s stringent verification process is indispensable to purge fraudulent votes and restore trust in the electoral system. The Manipur violence between Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023, which has claimed over 300 lives and displaced 70,000 people, has been partly attributed to tensions over illegal immigration. Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has pointed to the settlement of Chin refugees from Myanmar, who share ethnic ties with Kuki communities, as a factor altering the state’s demographic and electoral politics.

The State Assembly’s unanimous resolution in August 2024 to form a ‘House Committee’ to identify and deport illegal immigrants underscores the urgency of addressing this issue. Moreover, electoral fraud exacerbates the crisis. In 2023, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee alleged that 1.3 lakh fake voters were on the rolls. Recent cases like the arrest of a Myanmar national with a fraudulent Aadhaar card issued in Manipur highlight how non-citizens exploit documentation loopholes to register as voters.

The state has been grappling with a surge in illegal immigration, particularly since the 2021 Myanmar coup. Reports of Myanmarese nationals and Rohingya immigrants obtaining fake Aadhaar cards have surfaced repeatedly, exposing vulnerabilities in India’s identity documentation system. On June 24, 2025, a Myanmarese national was arrested in Mizoram’s Saitual district with an Aadhaar card issued in Manipur, alongside 121 grams of heroin worth over Rs 90 lakh. This incident exposed how fake Aadhaar cards enable illegal immigrants to not only settle in India but also engage in criminal activities under assumed identities.

This is not an isolated case. In October 2021, the arrest of 28 Myanmarese nationals in Tengnoupal district over 48 hours, all possessing fake Aadhaar cards obtained through an organized racket. Of these, 21 out of 24 intercepted at the Khudengthabi checkpoint were found with fraudulent Aadhaar cards en route to Churachandpur. That same month, 14 more Myanmarese nationals were caught at Imphal airport attempting to board a Delhi-bound flight using fake Aadhaar cards. A 2022 investigative report revealed how Myanmarese refugees, particularly from Chin and Sagaing states, leveraged ethnic ties with Kuki community in Manipur to obtain Aadhaar cards with the help of local village chiefs and domicile certificates. By 2022, Churachandpur’s Sadbhavana Mandop was converted into a detention center, housing 46 Myanmarese nationals, some of whom had arrived before the coup.

The scale of this issue extends beyond Myanmarese immigrants. On July 7, 2018, there was a report of multiple arrests of Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants with fake Aadhaar cards. On May 24, 2018, three Muslims from Myanmar with Aadhaar cards issued in Uttar Pradesh were arrested in Tengnoupal. On May 13, 2018, nine Rohingya with fake Aadhaar cards were apprehended in Moreh, alongside a local facilitator. Between January and December 2017, former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh reported the arrest of 560 outsiders, including 178 illegal immigrants in Jiribam alone, many possessing fake Aadhaar cards. A June 2024 media report further exposed a major fake ID racket in Manipur, with police seizing fraudulent Aadhaar and voter ID cards bearing manipulated addresses in Churachandpur and Imphal.

In Tengnoupal Assembly Constituency, a 2005 ECI investigation flagged an abnormal 24.89% growth in the electoral roll, far exceeding the national average of 2%. The ECI’s Under Secretary deemed the revision “not satisfactory,” citing the inclusion of nonexistent persons and the exclusion of 8,000–9,000 indigenous genuine voters. The investigation pointed to unchecked migration and fraudulent documentation as key culprits, prompting the ECI to order a fresh revision to delete fictitious entries.

Over time, some politicians have historically manipulated voter lists to secure vote banks, turning constituencies into battlegrounds where illegal immigrants outnumber genuine citizens. The SIR, with its house-to-house verification and stringent documentation, is a critical response to this threat, ensuring that the electoral process reflects the will of its rightful citizens.

With regards to the displaced voters due to violence, who are currently living either in relief camps or outside the state, the ECI’s proposal to update voting addresses to these camps ensures that displaced Kuki and Meitei voters can participate in elections, safeguarding their democratic rights.
Many question how displaced Kuki individuals can participate in the SIR without permanent addresses or access to electoral authorities. In meetings with political parties across districts like Kangpokpi and Imphal, election officials have invited suggestions on acceptable voter documentation and assured consideration of concerns, indicating a commitment to inclusivity. 

The SIR process includes provisions for updating voter addresses, as seen in discussions about relocating internally displaced persons’ voting addresses to relief camps. Kuki leaders sidestep the broader issue of electoral roll manipulation, which affects all communities. Their opposition could inadvertently protect networks that exploit porous borders and fake identities, undermining the democratic process they claim to defend.

It must be understood that the SIR is not a routine administrative task but a vital mechanism to ensure fair representation in the state’s volatile context. The forum’s demand for special camps and alternate IDs, while well-intentioned, ignores the risk of fraudulent registrations in the absence of robust checks. The SIR’s framework, with its focus on verified citizenship, prevents electoral manipulation and protects displaced Kuki community from having their votes overshadowed by ineligible entrants. Rather than delaying, the ECI should expedite the SIR with targeted measures—such as mobile verification units in relief camps—to ensure displaced tribals are included while maintaining electoral integrity.

Illegal immigrants are registering on voter lists to access government schemes and resources, potentially influencing electoral politics. Census data indicates a significant increase in unrecognized villages in hill districts, supporting these concerns. The SIR, by rejecting easily falsified documents like Aadhaar, ensures only verified citizens are included on the electoral roll, safeguarding the integrity of legitimate votes.

The Supreme Court’s suggestion on July 10, 2025, to consider Aadhaar, Voter ID, and ration cards for SIR overlooks the ground reality in border states like Assam, Tripura, and Manipur. Manipur’s experience shows that these documents, particularly Aadhaar, are not reliable for voter verification when illegal immigrants can procure them through racketeers.

SIR is not just an administrative exercise but a safeguard for democracy. Even if NRC is delayed in Manipur, proper exercise of SIR will identify the illegal immigrants. The influx of illegal immigrants, as documented in arrests from 2006 to 2025, threatens not only electoral fairness but also national security and demographic stability. Fake Aadhaar cards enable access to government schemes, land, and voting rights, eroding the resources and political agency of indigenous communities.

The ECI’s Special Intensive Revision in Manipur is a transformative reform that will protect the state’s democracy from the scourge of illegal immigration and electoral fraud. By removing non-citizens from voter rolls, empowering displaced voters, and ensuring fair elections, SIR serves as an NRC-like shield against external threats, preserving Manipur’s sovereignty and cultural identity. The opposition from H.S. Benjamin Mate and MTFD, while claiming to protect Kuki voters, appears to be propaganda that risks shielding illegal immigrants who exploit the state’s porous borders. The BJP’s support, inspired by Assam’s experience, reinforces SIR’s necessity. As Manipur prepares for 2027 elections under President’s Rule, SIR will unify its citizens, strengthen national security, and ensure that only Indian voices shape its future.

The SIR in Manipur is a critical step to ensure a fair and accurate electoral process, addressing long-standing issues like fake voters and illegal immigration. While these Kuki Organisations raise legitimate concerns about Kuki displacement, their opposition to the SIR is misguided and risks undermining democratic integrity. The ECI’s inclusive measures, such as engaging political parties and adapting to displacement challenges, counter their claims of demographic manipulation. 

The initiative will be a game-changer for Manipur. By rooting out fake voters and illegal immigrants, SIR will empower genuine citizens, strengthen national security, and ensure fair elections in 2027, effectively serving as an NRC-like shield against the state’s demographic and electoral challenges. 

Just opposing the SIR without offering solutions, these Kuki leaders and Organisations stance may inadvertently protect illegal immigrants on voter rolls, compromising the rights of genuine citizens, including the Kuki. A balanced approach would involve supporting the SIR with safeguards to protect displaced voters, ensuring both justice and electoral fairness in Manipur.