The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls commenced in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Thursday, drawing significant participation from residents even as Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki tribes, objected to the exercise and sought its immediate suspension over concerns related to internally displaced persons (IDPs). The revision process began at the Community Hall in Kangpokpi Town and covers 18 localities under the district headquarters. Residents turned up in large numbers on the opening day to participate in enrolment and verification activities conducted by election officials. To ensure the smooth conduct of the exercise, the Kangpokpi Town Committee (KTC) extended logistical support to the district administration by preparing a locality-wise roster for residents. According to the schedule prepared by the committee, residents from Zonlhing Veng (Ward No. 1), Tintong Veng (Ward No. 2) and Vengthah (Ward No. 3) participated in the exercise on the first day.
Officials remained engaged throughout the day as verification and enrolment work progressed. The roster prepared by the KTC indicates that the electoral revision exercise in Kangpokpi Town will continue until June 10, covering all designated localities in phases. However, the commencement of the exercise coincided with strong opposition from KIM, which described the ongoing revision as unacceptable under the present circumstances. The organisation expressed concern that thousands of conflict-displaced citizens are unable to effectively participate in the process. In a statement, KIM said that nearly 59,000 Kuki-Zo internally displaced persons continue to live away from their original places of residence due to the ethnic conflict that erupted in Manipur. The organisation argued that these displaced citizens face practical difficulties in exercising their electoral rights during the ongoing revision. KIM stated that it had expected the government to first establish accessible and workable mechanisms that would enable displaced persons to participate in the revision exercise before initiating such an important democratic process.
According to the organisation, conducting an electoral roll revision without ensuring the participation of a large section of affected citizens raises serious concerns about democratic representation and inclusivity. It maintained that any revision undertaken without the involvement of displaced persons would remain incomplete and could affect the representative character of the electoral rolls. “The government and district administrations must immediately put in place inclusive arrangements that allow all displaced persons to be duly enrolled and participate fully in the revision process,” the statement said. The apex body further warned that continuing the exercise without adequate provisions for displaced voters could cast doubts on the legitimacy and credibility of the entire revision process. Reiterating its demand, KIM stressed that no displaced citizen should be excluded from the electoral roll revision and called for satisfactory arrangements before the exercise proceeds further. The development comes amid continuing concerns among several Kuki-Zo civil society organisations regarding the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision in conflict-affected areas. Thousands of people remain displaced more than three years after ethnic violence broke out in Manipur, making the issue of electoral participation a key concern for affected communities.
