Thousands displaced by the ethnic violence in Manipur may receive dedicated electoral support from the EC to help them retain voting rights despite living in relief camps.
BY PC Bureau
NEW DELHI, May 29, 2026: In a bid to ensure voting rights for thousands displaced by the ethnic conflict in Manipur, the Election Commission is considering appointing special Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) to oversee the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for internally displaced persons (IDPs), sources said.
The proposal, submitted by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Manipur, seeks a dedicated mechanism for displaced voters currently residing in relief camps across the state and outside their original constituencies.
The SIR exercise in Manipur is scheduled to begin on Saturday as part of the EC’s nationwide electoral roll revision programme. Under the exercise, Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door visits to collect enumeration forms from registered voters to ensure their names remain on the electoral rolls.
Following the verification process, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and AEROs are expected to scrutinise voter eligibility and issue notices to those unable to furnish the required details about themselves or their parents.
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Reports said special AEROs are being considered due to the extraordinary situation in Manipur, where tens of thousands were displaced after ethnic violence erupted in May 2023.
Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, EROs and AEROs are responsible for maintaining Assembly constituency electoral rolls. However, with many voters now living in relief camps away from their home constituencies, the EC is exploring a separate arrangement to determine their eligibility during the revision exercise.
The proposed mechanism is similar to the arrangement made during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when the Election Commission had appointed designated Assistant Returning Officers and set up special polling stations for displaced persons.
Around 18,620 internally displaced persons were eligible to vote during the 2024 elections, for which the EC established 94 special polling stations in relief camps.
Government records show that while nearly 62,000 people were displaced at the peak of the violence in 2023, the number currently stands at around 57,000. Sources said approximately 14,000 to 15,000 displaced voters are likely to participate in the ongoing SIR process.
The Election Commission recently announced the third phase of the Special Intensive Revision programme covering 16 states and three Union Territories. In Manipur, Odisha, Mizoram and Sikkim, the exercise will begin with house-to-house verification by BLOs starting Saturday.
According to EC data, Manipur has around 20.91 lakh electors spread across 2,996 polling booths. Electors will have until June 28 to submit their enumeration forms.
