Non-locals with local surnames in voter list
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 14, 2013:
Even as the issue over inclusion of many non-local migrant workers who were found included in the electoral roll after changing their surnames in some places under Kakching A/C of Thoubal district is yet to be resolved, three more similar cases of non-local migrant workers taking the surnames of Meetei community and including their names in the voters' list have been detected in two polling stations of Sekmai Assembly Constituency under Imphal West district.
Informing this while talking to media persons at its Keishampat office here today, President of Federation of Regional Indigenous Society (FREINDS) Sapamcha Jadumani pointed out that one Manoj Bihari (35), who is a native of Bihar and runs a grocery shop at Sekmai Bazar, was found entering his name in the electoral roll of 16/8 Sekmai polling station as Laimayum Manoj.
Manoj Thakur (40), who is also from Bihar and works as a barber at Sekmai Bazar, was also found changing his surname and listing his name as a voter under 16/8 Sekmai A/C.The names of the two non-local migrant workers have been cancelled by FREINDS in collaboration with the Sekmai Development Society.
Another non-local identified as Gebon Tekhatri (39), who is a Nepali auto rickshaw driver at Leimakhong, was also found changing his surname as Ahanthem.
His name too has been subsequently cancelled with the help of Village Development committee of Kanto Sabal Leikai.
Jadumani suspected some hidden agendas behind the inclusion of non-local migrant workers in the electoral roll and pointed out that the Government has not implemented Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the State even after the State Legislative Assembly had adopted resolutions in this regard on July 13, 2012 and on June 13, 2013 respectively.