The Kuki body has urged special verification arrangements and alternative documentation for internally displaced persons, warning that genuine voters could otherwise be left out of the electoral rolls.
BY PC Bureau
August 11, 2026: The Kuki Inpi Manipur has sought an extension of the deadline for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying thousands of people displaced by the ethnic conflict face serious hurdles in proving their eligibility to vote.
The organisation said many internally displaced persons (IDPs) lost their homes and personal documents during the violence. Many are now living away from their original residences and may not have access to records needed for electoral verification.
The Kuki body warned that the current process could leave genuine voters out of the electoral rolls if sufficient flexibility is not provided for those who lost documents because of the conflict.
Birth certificates are among the documents being sought during the verification process. According to the organisation, obtaining a new birth certificate can cost between Rs 300 and Rs 600. For displaced families already struggling financially, even such expenses can be difficult to bear.
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The process of obtaining replacement documents is also taking time, the organisation said. Long queues and delays at government offices have added to the difficulties faced by displaced families.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur said the authorities should take special measures to ensure that displacement does not become a reason for excluding eligible voters.
It called for five measures:
- Extension of the SIR deadline to account for the exceptional circumstances in Manipur.
- Special verification arrangements for IDPs, including those living away from their original homes.
- Alternative or flexible verification methods for people whose documents were lost, destroyed or remain inaccessible because of the conflict.
- Faster procedures for replacing civil and identity documents.
- Strong safeguards against the deletion of eligible voters solely because they cannot produce documents lost due to circumstances beyond their control.
“No citizen should lose their right to vote simply because conflict and displacement deprived them of the documents needed to prove their identity and eligibility,” the organisation said.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur has submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur and the state’s Chief Electoral Officer, seeking immediate intervention.
The statement was issued by D. David Haokip, Assistant Secretary (Information & Publicity) of the Kuki Inpi Manipur.
