NEW DELHI: The Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC), representing various Meitei organizations, has reached out to both the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Chief Justice of India (CJI), advocating for the postponement of Lok Sabha elections in Manipur due to the prevailing ethnic unrest in the region.
Set to take place on April 19 and 26, the elections for the Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seats have sparked concerns, particularly regarding security in the latter constituency, scheduled for polling on both days.
In their petition submitted on April 01, the DMCC presented several grounds for the proposed postponement, citing escalating conflict and law enforcement challenges, supported by media reports documenting the turmoil.
DMCC emphasized the sustained ethnic violence in Manipur since May 3 last year, inflicting extensive physical, psychological, economic, and political damage on the populace.
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It may be mentioned here that the DMCC’s petition coincided with a visit by an election commission team to Imphal to evaluate the state’s readiness for the Lok Sabha elections.
While senior state officials assured the EC team of their preparedness, the team also conducted field inspections.
According to the DMCC, the ongoing conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos has claimed 221 lives thus far, affecting Meiteis, Kukis, and other communities in Manipur adversely.