The Supreme Court declined to entertain a plea seeking voting facilities for approximately 18,000 internally displaced individuals due to ethnic strife in Manipur for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The polling for Manipur’s two Lok Sabha seats is scheduled in two phases on April 19 and 26.
The Bench
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra stated that the interference of the court, especially at this late stage, would significantly hinder the conduct of the upcoming Lok Sabha general elections in Manipur. “You have come at the last minute. At this stage, what can be virtually done? We cannot interfere at this stage,” the bench remarked.
The petitioner
The plea, filed by Manipur resident Naulak Khamsuanthang and others, urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to facilitate arrangements enabling internally-displaced persons settled outside Manipur to cast their votes in the Lok Sabha elections by establishing special polling booths in the states where they reside.
“There are 18,000 internally displaced people. They want to vote in the elections in Manipur,” the petitioners’ lawyer stated.
Manipur Violence
Since May 2023, Manipur has been embroiled in a cycle of violence.
Over 160 people have lost their lives, and several hundred have been injured since ethnic violence erupted on May 3 when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Despite a gradual decrease in the number and intensity of violent incidents, many individuals still reside in relief camps far from their homes.
