The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched Phase III of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a nationwide exercise involving door-to-door verification of more than 36.73 crore electors across 16 states and three Union Territories. In Manipur, where ethnic violence has continued since May 2023, the move has raised concerns over feasibility, inclusion and the possibility of genuine voters being left out of the process.
According to the ECI’s press note, Manipur, along with Odisha, Mizoram, and Sikkim, has July 1, 2026 as the qualifying date for the revision. Preparatory work, training, and printing activities will be carried out between May 20 and May 29. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will then conduct intensive house-to-house verification from May 30 to June 28.
The draft electoral roll will be published on July 5, while the period for claims and objections will continue through early August. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on September 6.
The exercise in Manipur will involve 2,996 BLOs and 5,003 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties. As per Annexure-II of the ECI note, the state has around 20.92 lakh electors as of May 12, 2026.
The revision exercise comes at a sensitive time for Manipur. Three years after the outbreak of the Meitei-Kuki-Zo conflict, the state continues to face deep ethnic divisions and instability. Official figures show that more than 250 people have died and around 58,000 to 60,000 people remain displaced, many of them still living in relief camps in different parts of the state.
Sporadic incidents of violence, including killings and abductions, continue to be reported from some areas. Several communities remain segregated, while buffer zones are being maintained by security forces.
The situation has created serious challenges for the electoral revision process. Many houses have been destroyed, documents have been lost, and movement remains restricted in several districts. Thousands of displaced people are now living away from their original homes and polling stations.
For many families staying in relief camps or safer areas, returning to their native places for verification may involve security risks and financial difficulties. The SIR exercise mainly depends on physical house-to-house verification by BLOs, a process that assumes people are living at their recorded addresses.
Civil society groups and local observers have expressed concern that some genuine voters may be removed from electoral rolls because they are absent from their homes, unable to produce documents, or living in inaccessible conflict-hit areas.
Election officials in the state have already held review meetings and training sessions for BLOs. The ECI has said the SIR is aimed at cleaning electoral rolls by removing duplicate, deceased, and ineligible voters while also enrolling eligible first-time voters. Political parties have been encouraged to appoint BLAs to support the process and ensure transparency.
However, logistical problems remain a major concern. Some villages are still partially abandoned or difficult to access due to security issues. BLOs, many of whom are government employees such as teachers, may also face risks while travelling in sensitive areas.
Concerns over possible exclusion of vulnerable voters have also been raised during similar electoral revisions in other parts of the country. In Manipur, observers believe any perceived imbalance in the revision process could further increase ethnic tensions ahead of future elections.
While ECI guidelines allow flexibility through camp-based verification and alternative documents in exceptional cases, details on how these measures will be implemented in Manipur’s conflict situation have not yet been fully explained publicly.
The coming weeks will test the ability of the ECI and the state election machinery to conduct an accurate and inclusive revision exercise in a state that continues to struggle with displacement, insecurity and unresolved ethnic tensions.