WAHENGBAM RORRKYCHAND
Fate of the nearly 1200 people of Champu Khangpok Village still remain uncertain as concern authority still fails to take up any immediate measures for their enrollment to the voter list even after knowing that their names have been deleted from the voter list since 1973. Imphal Times carried the news report under the heading – ‘We are the citizen of democratic India with no voting rights: Champu Khangpok Villagers on March 18, 2015 issue.
Even though the concern government department authority remain silence over the matter, various political parties and civil society organizations reacted and urged the state Electoral Officer and local authorities to take up necessary steps to ensure that the villagers are enrolled from their residing area to assure their voting rights.
Malem Ningthouja, Chairperson of Campaign for Peace and Democracy said deletion of names from the electoral roll is undesirable; it is their right to enroll from the place of residing and vote to their representative; some politicians even enrolled non-locals for their political benefits. He urged for an inquiry into the matter.
While condemning the local MLA for not initiating an enrollment drive for the inhabitants of Champu Khangpok village under Moirang Sub-division of Bishnupur district, Rajkumar Shivachandra, spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party, Manipur Pradesh said that these people are the victims of state government’s atrocities. They are in news for no good reasons. Right to vote is a statutory right under section 79(d) of Representation of People Act. For years they remain voiceless and inactive participant in the electoral process as they are not enrolled from the residing area, he added.
Moirangthem Nara Singh, Secretary of Communist Party of India said it is the fault of Election Commission of Manipur. Removal of names from the list of electoral roll is unlawful. They should send staffs to Champu Khangpok and enroll the inhabitants into electoral roll. Local MLA and Election Commission could not remain silent as a silent spectator.
