Imphal | The Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki tribes, has raised concerns that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Manipur could exclude a significant number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) unless authorities address documentation difficulties arising from the ethnic conflict.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor of Manipur and the Chief Electoral Officer, the organisation said thousands of displaced people had lost their homes, belongings and essential identity documents during the conflict.

It said the loss of documents, coupled with the displacement of people from their original places of residence, had made voter verification particularly difficult for many IDPs. According to the Kuki Inpi, the situation could result in genuine and eligible voters being left out of the electoral rolls due to circumstances beyond their control.

“The present circumstances risk excluding a significant number of genuine and eligible voters from the electoral roll,” the organisation said, highlighting difficulties faced by displaced citizens in retaining, retrieving or replacing documents required for verification.

The organisation also drew attention to the financial and administrative challenges involved in obtaining replacement documents. It said birth certificates, among the documents reportedly required for verification, could cost around Rs 300 to Rs 600 in processing fees, creating an additional burden for displaced families already facing financial hardship.

The large number of people seeking replacement documents has also reportedly led to long queues and delays. Documents that were lost or destroyed during the conflict may take considerable time to be reissued, the organisation said.

The Kuki Inpi urged authorities to extend the SIR deadline by an adequate and reasonable period, citing the exceptional circumstances prevailing in Manipur. It also sought dedicated verification and facilitation mechanisms for IDP voters, including those currently living away from their original places of residence.

The organisation called for flexibility in the verification process and the use of alternative methods in cases where documents have been lost, destroyed or become inaccessible because of conflict and displacement. It further demanded an expedited and simplified mechanism for displaced citizens to obtain replacement civil and identity documents.

The apex tribal body said safeguards were necessary to ensure that no genuine voter was removed from the electoral roll solely because circumstances beyond their control prevented them from producing the required documents. “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 Kuki Inpi said.

The organisation maintained that unless the practical and structural difficulties faced by displaced voters are addressed, the SIR exercise could disproportionately affect IDPs and undermine the objective of maintaining an inclusive electoral roll.

The Kuki Inpi has sought immediate intervention from the Governor and the Chief Electoral Officer to ensure that eligible displaced voters are not excluded from the electoral process because of documentation difficulties caused by the conflict.