CCpur consumers' club bats for physical smart card
Source: Chronicle News Service / Kaimuanthang Mangte

CCpur, May 20 2025: The Lamka Consumers' Club has raised serious concerns over the Transport Department's decision to discontinue the issuance of physical smart cards for driving licences and registration certificates across the state, including in Churachandpur district.

In a press statement issued Tuesday, the Lamka Consumers' Club highlighted multiple risks associated with the decision.

Chief among these is the potential for an increase in document duplication and forgery, as digital files are more susceptible to unauthorised editing and reproduction.

Local computer centres, they noted, could easily replicate e-documents without adequate safeguards.

"According to a reliable source, the Transport Department, Government of Manipur, has already completed the process for issuing electronic Driving Licences (eDL) and electronic Registration Certificates (eRC) across all districts of Manipur, including Churachandpur.

Upon further enquiry, it was found that the option to ob tain a physical smart card will be discontinued, meaning the public will no longer receive physical smart cards from the department," it said.

The statement further underscored the hardship this change may impose on senior citizens and low-ipcome residents, particularly those who cannot afford smartphones or reliable internet access.

"It is unreasonable to expect the general public to purchase new smartphones solely to access official documents," the Club stated.

It also pointed to the ongoing conflict in the region, which has severely affected livelihoods.

making such expenses all the more burdensome.

Frequent internet disruptions and power outages in rhe hill areas make digital-only access unreliable, the Club argued.

During the rainy season, physical smart cards are considered more practical and less prone to technical failure.

In contrast to Manipur's policy, neighbouring states such as Mizoram, Tripura, and Assam continue to provide physical smart cards in response to public preference and infrastructural limitations, it pointed out.

The Club also criticised the continued administrative neglect of the Churachandpur District Transport Office.

Referencing an earlier protest by the Joint Students' Body in February 2024, it noted that the local office had been locked for several months due to irregular staff attendance.

At the time, demonstrators called for a full-time District Transport Officer (DTO) to be posted locally, as the current official operates from the state capital, Imphal.

The issue remains unresolved, with past months of office inactivity leading to a substantial backlog of work.

In its appeal, the Lamka Consumers' Club called on the higher authorities of the Transport Department to reconsider the rollout of eDLs and eRCs in the hill districts.

It urged the state government to continue issuing physical smart cards, especially in underserved areas, and to appoint a permanent DTO to ensure the effective functioning of the Churachandpur office.

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