State prepares for poll roll SIR
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 30 2025: Even as Manipur remains under the President's Rule, district election officials have initiated a series of meetings with representatives of political parties across the state in preparation for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, ahead of a countrywide update process being taken up by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

According to The Indian Express, sensitisation meetings attended by representatives of political parties were already conducted in Kangpokpi, Kamjong, Noney, Ukhrul and Thoubal, with notices issued for similar meetings state's 11 remaining districts.

The meetings are reportedly being conducted based on conveyance from the State Election Commission, tough formal notices from either the ECI or the state body is yet to be circulated.

The objective is to brief political parties about the upcoming SIR exercise, pre-revision house-to-house surveys, and rationalisation of polling stations.

On Monday, representatives from BJP, Congress and Kuki People's Alliance participated in such a meeting in Kangpokpi district.

A district official said that the gathering was aimed at informing parties concerned ab.out the identity documents permissible for updating voter rolls, and to gather feedback on the process.

"There was concern across party lines over the non-inclusion of Aadhaar cards in the list of documents accepted for the revision," The Indian Express quoted the official as saying.

It is pertinent to add here that the Supreme Court is currently hearing a case related to the SIR process in Bihar and has asked the ECI to consider Aadhaar, voter ID and ration cards as valid proof of identity and address.

BJP leader Thangjamang Kipgen, who attended the Kangpokpi meeting, said that Aadhaar was the most commonly available document in hilly and tribal areas where other forms of ID may be lacking.

"We are very concerned about this because Aadhaar is one document that everyone, from new voters to elderly people, are most likely to have.

The officials told us that they will convey our Concerns to the authorities," Kipgen said.

A similar meeting held the same day in Kamjong district included representatives from BJP, Congress and the Naga People's Front.

A district official said that the participants stressed that every eligible citizen should be included in the updated rolls.

Meanwhile, a central-level meeting chaired by joint chief electoral officer of Manipur, Ramananda Nongmeikapam, was held on July 25.As reported by The Hindu, the CEO's office said, "The participating parties were sensitised about the ECI's proposal to conduct a Special Intensive Revision across the country, aimed at safeguarding the integrity and accuracy of our democratic process".

Ramananda said that preparations in Manipur are in line with a broader nationwide SIR effort but added that no official timelines for the revision have been communicated for the state so far.

Notifications issued by various district election officers referenced the upcoming SIR of Photo Electoral Rolls with January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date.

One such notice for Kakching district stated that the meeting would address pre-revision activities such as the house-to-house survey and rationalisation of polling stations in view of the Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls.

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Keisham Meghachandra, who attended the July 25 meeting, raised strong objections over the reported suggestion to change the voting addresses of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their current locations in relief camps.

"It seemed like through the SIR, they also want to change the voting address of IDPs to the relief camp locations where they are temporarily living.

This was opposed by us as it would lead the state away from peace," Meghachandra told The Hindu.

He added that the revision process must be carried out fairly and transparently, without inclusion of bogus voters.

The electoral roll revision comes at a time when Manipur continues to be affected by ethnic conflict between the valley-based Meetei community and the hill-based Kuki-Zo communities.

Allegations of illegal immigration from Myanmar have been a sensitive political issue and were among the key narratives during the Lok Sabha 2024 polls, with the BJP advocating for the implementation of a National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Meghachandra said that Congress had reminded the poll body that even union home minister Amit Shah and former chief minister N Biren had raised concerns about illegal immigration and that fairness must be maintained in the revision process.

The CEO's office has meanwhile posted updates on social media indicating that training sessions for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and BLO supervisors, along with sensitisation meetings with political parties, have been conducted in constituencies such as Khangabok, Phungyar, Lamlai, Heirok, Noney and Ukhrul.

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