Manipur Govt Pushes Re-amalgamation of Thanlon Sub-Division to Churachandpur, Seeks Compliance Within Seven Days

The Manipur government has directed all departments, administrative secretaries, heads of departments, and the deputy commissioners of Churachandpur and Pherzawl to implement the long-pending re-amalgamation of Thanlon Sub-Division from Pherzawl district back to Churachandpur district in a time-bound manner.

In an official communication issued on July 29, 2026, Secretary (Land Resources) Th. Kirankumar instructed all departments with offices, establishments or jurisdiction in Thanlon Sub-Division to immediately give effect to the government's January 6, 2022 notification ordering the re-amalgamation. The departments have also been asked to submit compliance reports and action taken reports to the Land Resources Department within seven days.

The letter recalled that Thanlon Sub-Division was placed under the newly created Pherzawl district following the state's December 8, 2016 order that carved Pherzawl out of Churachandpur. However, the government subsequently issued an order on January 6, 2022 directing the re-amalgamation of Thanlon Sub-Division with Churachandpur district.

The latest directive comes amid renewed demands from Zomi civil society organisations for implementation of the 2022 order.

On March 5 this year, the Zomi Chiefs' Association announced a boycott of the Pherzawl district administration, protesting the continued listing of Thanlon Sub-Division, Thanlon Police Station and the 56-Thanlon (ST) Assembly constituency under Pherzawl's jurisdiction. The association demanded immediate enforcement of the government's 2022 notification transferring the sub-division back to Churachandpur.

Thanlon is a Zomi-majority Assembly constituency, and several Zomi organisations have consistently maintained that its inclusion under Hmar-majority Pherzawl district undermines their administrative and political interests. Since the creation of Pherzawl district in 2016, Zomi groups have repeatedly demanded the restoration of Thanlon to Churachandpur district.

However, the proposed re-amalgamation has also faced opposition. In 2021, representatives of 22 villages under Thanlon Sub-Division—constituting nearly 47 per cent of the villages in the sub-division—submitted objections, expressing their preference to remain under Pherzawl district. Under the banner of the Pherzawl District Development Committee, they cited administrative convenience and cultural affinity as the primary reasons for opposing the transfer.

Several organisations have also organised protest rallies against the proposed re-amalgamation, describing it as a politically motivated move. The state government had earlier invited objections to the proposal until December 17, 2021, and indicated that the re-amalgamation would proceed only if at least 75 per cent of the villages supported the move.

With the latest directive, the Manipur government appears to have initiated administrative steps to operationalise the 2022 order, requiring all concerned departments to complete the reorganisation process and report compliance within a week.