Manipur: People living in camps in violence-hit state will be allowed to vote from there, says EC

People living in camps in violence-hit Manipur will be allowed to vote from their camps in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission announced on Saturday.

Responding to a question on Manipur during a press conference on the announcement of dates of the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said "we will make all arrangements."

"We have drawn a scheme, which we have notified... to allow the voters in the camp to vote from the camp. Like there is a scheme for Jammu and Kashmir migrants... same way the scheme will implemented in Manipur. Voters will be allowed to vote from the respective camps... from the lower constituency to higher and higher to lower," Kumar said.

"My appeal to the voters is that let us decide through the ballot, peacefully by participating in the elections, we will make the arrangements," he added.

Ethnic clashes between the Meitei and tribal Kuki communities in Manipur since May last year have resulted in the loss of over 200 lives.

According to officials, over 25,000 people have been rescued by the security forces while around 50,000 are living in camps following the unrest.