Amid ongoing concerns over illegal infiltration and immigration in Manipur, villagers of Thamnapokpi in Chandel district have challenged the election of a non-local as their village chief, citing violations of Naga customary law and constitutional protections under Article 371(C).
The controversy arose after SK Lovemol, of Nepali origin, was elected as Chief of Thamnapokpi Village on April 1, 2023, without following the due process of tribal customary law. Thamnapokpi is inhabited by the Lamkang Naga tribe, for whom village chiefs are the highest authority responsible for protecting ancestral lands.
Speaking to media at the Manipur Press Club, Andy RT Ksen, former village chairman and son of the village founder, said the election was conducted by vested interests without prior notifications or consultation with villagers. He emphasized that non-locals have no right to contest village chief elections in Naga villages and described the election as a direct challenge to Lamkang and Naga customary laws.
Lovemol, the fifth child of late Kansa Thakuri of Nepal and late Tochem Kangten of the Lamkang tribe, has settled in Thamnapokpi since World War II following his father’s marriage to a Lamkang woman. Villagers argue that his foreign paternal lineage disqualifies him from claiming tribal status or contesting for the village chief post, questioning how he obtained a Scheduled Tribe certificate.
Villagers also raised broader concerns, alleging that several non-locals have changed names and sought tribal certificates to gain rights and benefits reserved for indigenous communities, which they claim undermines the constitutional safeguards for tribal lands and leadership.
The villagers have called on the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to strictly adhere to norms when issuing Scheduled Tribe certificates and other tribal entitlements, ensuring that only genuine indigenous members can access these rights.