Meitei body asks CEC, CJI to defer Lok Sabha election

It is not the right time to hold elections given ethnic unrest alongside the ‘abnormal’ situation in Manipur, an umbrella body representing Meitei civil society organisations has said

Image used for representative purpose only. | Photo Credit: AP

The Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC), an umbrella body representing Meitei civil society organisations in Delhi, has written to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the Chief Justice of India (CJI) seeking the postponement of the Lok Sabha election in Manipur for the time being, given the ethnic unrest and “abnormal” situation in the State. 

Manipur is set to vote in two phases — on April 19 and April 26. The State has witnessed ethnic conflict between the politically dominant, valley-based Meitei people and the hills-based Kuki-Zo tribes for almost a year now. The violence has resulted in at least 220 deaths, with thousands injured and internally displaced. 

In letters sent to the CEC and the CJI on April 1, the DMCC asserted that attacks by alleged “Kuki militants” on Meitei settlements in Manipur continued until the ECI announced the poll dates, after which there has been relative peace. 

“It clearly indicates that these attacks by kuki militants on Meetei are politically motivated attacks under the protection of a policy called ‘Suspension of Operation (SoO)’ between 24 kuki militants and Government of India. As election has brought relative peace in Manipur, the postponement of the LS election is a prerequisite,” the DMCC stated in its letters. 

The Meitei body further said that the ethnic unrest since May 3, 2023 along with with the law and order situation in the State had created an uneven playing field for all political parties.

“There are meetings that the Chief Minister (N. Biren Singh) is taking in his residence with various civilian womens’ groups after the model code of conduct is in place and we don’t know what’s happening there. The Arambai Tenggol (known to be a radical Meitei activist organisation) has already called for a ban on all public means of campaigning and Opposition party candidates have faced threats and attacks during campaigning,” one source said. 

The DMCC’s letters also said that people had had to “protect themselves”. “Since the State has completely failed to protect life, liberties, properties, people themselves are compelled to protect themselves. It is learnt that there were incidents of approximately 5000 arms and numerous ammunitions being looted from the armories and police station located at various places of both hills and in valley, of late approximately 1500 arms and ammunitions has been recovered by state security forces. Approximately 3500 arms and huge ammunitions remain at large and still with people for their self-defence as reported in media,” the DMCC’s letters said.

“We tried to approach the Supreme Court of India to seek a postponement of elections in the State for the time being. But the legal fee was starting from around ₹1 lakh, something that we are not able to afford,” DMCC’s convener Seram Rojesh told The Hindu.