KANGPOKPI DISTRICT, MANIPUR – The Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas Manipur (COPTAM) – Kuki Hills has issued a stern condemnation against the District Magistrate of Imphal East, alleging an “unconstitutional and illegal” jurisdictional overreach into tribal lands.
In a press statement released on April 6, 2026, the Committee challenged a permit issued on April 4, which reportedly authorized religious activities at the foothills of S. Molnom Hill. COPTAM asserts that the area in question falls strictly under the jurisdiction of the Hill administration within the Saikul Sub-Division of Kangpokpi District, rendering any permit from Imphal East null and void.
A Conflict of Jurisdiction
The Committee points to a 2005 judicial demarcation (Hill Misc Case No. 11 of 2005) as the definitive legal boundary for S. Molnom Hill. According to the 2005 ruling, the land is bound by:
North: Wakan Chingtek
South: Sinam Kom Loksang Chinga Tainaba
East: P. Khonomphai Hill Village and Thongnangpal Sheet Village No. 99
West: Thongnangpal Chingyang
“The authority issuing the permit has no legal competence over Saikul Sub-Division,” the statement read. “This issuance violates Article 371C of the Constitution and the Hill Areas Committee framework.”
Threats to Peace and Customary Law
COPTAM argues that the permit is not merely a bureaucratic error but a direct interference in judicially recognized tribal land. The Committee expressed concerns that such “jurisdictional overreach” undermines the customary land ownership of the Kuki people and poses a “serious risk to peace and communal harmony” in the region.
The statement further warned that any attempt to use the permit to justify the expansion of structures or unauthorized construction would be viewed as a gross misinterpretation of the law.
Demands for Accountability
The Committee has laid out five primary demands to the state government:
Immediate revocation of the permit dated April 4, 2026.
Strict enforcement of the 2005 judicial demarcation order.
Prohibition of any activity beyond legally defined limits.
Official accountability for the authorities responsible for the overreach.
Constitutional protection of S. Molnom land.
The release concluded with a firm stance on resistance, stating that the Committee will use all constitutional means to oppose any encroachment on tribal land.
