Kuki Inpi Manipur Urges Extension of SIR Deadline, Special Measures for IDP Voters

The Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki tribes, has urged the authorities to extend the deadline for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Manipur, citing difficulties faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) in producing documents required for voter verification.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor of Manipur and the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur, the Kuki Inpi Manipur said the ongoing SIR exercise was causing considerable hardship to displaced voters, many of whom had lost their homes, belongings and essential documents during the ethnic conflict.

The Kuki Inpi expressed concern that the prevailing circumstances could lead to the exclusion of genuine and eligible voters from the electoral rolls. It said displacement had made it difficult for many citizens to retain, retrieve or replace documents required for verification.

According to the a issued today, birth certificates are among the documents required for verification and obtaining them reportedly involves processing fees of around ₹300 to ₹600. The organisation said such costs could pose a significant burden on displaced families already struggling to meet their basic needs.

It further pointed to long queues and delays caused by the large number of applicants seeking civil documents. Replacing documents that were lost or destroyed during the conflict could also take considerable time, it said.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur has called for several measures to ensure that eligible IDP voters are not disenfranchised because of circumstances beyond their control.

Among its demands are an adequate extension of the SIR deadline, special verification and facilitation mechanisms for IDP voters residing outside their original places of residence, and flexibility in verification where documents have been lost, destroyed or become inaccessible due to conflict and displacement.

The Kuki apex body has also sought the expedited and simplified issuance of replacement civil and identity documents to displaced citizens, along with safeguards to prevent the exclusion of genuine voters from the electoral roll.

“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 memorandum stated.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur has appealed to the concerned authorities to intervene urgently and take appropriate measures in view of the extraordinary circumstances prevailing in Manipur.