Manipur is gearing up for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections to be conducted in two phases on April 19 and 26. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, in a press conference held in New Delhi, announced voters residing in camps due to last year’s violence will have the opportunity to cast their votes from their current locations.
In an official statement, the Election Commission-EC stated, “The Commission has reviewed the ground situation of Manipur and observed that a significant number of electors, registered in different constituencies, were displaced from their native places during recent conflicts. They are currently residing in relief camps across various districts. Following consultations with various stakeholders, the EC has decided to establish special polling stations at or near the camps. Electors opting for this facility will be able to register their votes using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).”
The EC further disclosed, “A detailed scheme for internally displaced persons of Manipur to vote in relief camps was issued by the Commission on February 29.”
Manipur has been plagued by intermittent violence stemming from ethnic conflicts between the Meitei and Kuki communities. Tens of thousands have been displaced, seeking refuge in government-run camps.
Historically, ethnic tensions between the hill communities and the Meiteis have persisted since the era of the erstwhile kingdom. However, the situation escalated with the emergence of the Naga national movement in the 1950s, leading to calls for an independent Naga nation. The subsequent Naga insurgency prompted the rise of insurgent groups among the Meiteis and Kuki-Zomi communities.
The political turmoil in neighbouring Myanmar, beginning with the February 2021 coup, exacerbated unrest in Northeast Bharat. Consequently the region witnessed rise in a refugee crisis. Meitei leaders have raised concerns about the sudden influx of villages in the Churachandpur district.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh has repeatedly highlighted the presence of Myanmarese individuals in Churachandpur, alleging their involvement in poppy cultivation.
