Aizawl: Even as the Lok Sabha polls loom, concerns are rising for the thousands of Kuki-Zo people from Manipur displaced by ethnic violence and currently seeking refuge in Mizoram.
Despite the impending elections, these displaced individuals might face obstacles in exercising their democratic right to vote.
According to a report by the Mizoram Post, a senior election official from Mizoram revealed on Tuesday that there are no provisions in place for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from Manipur, currently residing in Mizoram, to cast their votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
The official stated, “Discussions are underway among Election Commission officials to facilitate displaced Manipuris across the country to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. However, as of now, there are no plans to arrange special voting facilities for IDPs to cast their votes from Mizoram.”
Data from Mizoram’s home department indicates that 9,196 individuals, including adults and children, from Manipur have sought shelter in various parts of Mizoram. Among them, 1,340 reside in 26 relief camps, while 7,856 live outside of the designated relief areas.
Aizawl district hosts the largest number of displaced Manipuris at 4,446, followed by Kolasib district with 2,674 and Saitual district with 1,275.
The majority of the displaced individuals belong to the minority Kuki-Zo community, sharing ethnic ties with the Mizos, and have sought refuge in Mizoram since May of the previous year due to escalating ethnic tensions in Manipur.
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Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar recently announced a scheme aimed at enabling displaced individuals in Manipur to vote from their respective camps.
However, Manipur’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pradeep Kumar Jha clarified that the scheme’s scope is limited to the state’s territorial jurisdiction, with no specific provisions made for Manipuris seeking shelter in Mizoram.
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