New Delhi, Jan 15, 2026: Officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday held talks with representatives of Kuki groups in New Delhi, reaffirming the ground rules governing their designated camps under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact, while also hearing renewed demands for a separate administrative arrangement.
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According to sources, the meeting revisited the terms finalised during the September 4, 2025 peace accord, under which Kuki armed groups agreed to remain confined to designated camps. MHA officials emphasised adherence to these ground rules, describing them as essential to maintaining stability and confidence-building during the ongoing peace process.
During the same interaction, Kuki representatives reiterated their long-standing demand for a Union Territory with a legislature. While the Centre did not dismiss the proposal outright, officials indicated that any such arrangement would be examined strictly within the constitutional framework. The discussion on camp ground rules, they said, forms part of a broader dialogue that could eventually address political and administrative aspirations.
The New Delhi talks coincided with a massive public rally in Churachandpur, where thousands from the Kuki community marched, chanting slogans and carrying placards demanding a political solution and the creation of a Union Territory with legislature. Leaders of the Kuki Council and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) later submitted a memorandum to Amit Shah through district authorities, outlining their concerns and demands.
Similar demonstrations were reported from other Kuki-dominated areas, including Moreh, reflecting widespread mobilisation across the region. Community leaders said the rallies underscored the urgency of a constitutional settlement ahead of the upcoming state elections.
A day earlier, a meeting in Guwahati involving SoO groups, Kuki Council members and Kuki MLAs adopted resolutions calling for an expedited political settlement for a Union Territory before the 2027 Manipur Assembly elections. Participants insisted that any future state government must provide a written, time-bound commitment to support a negotiated constitutional settlement for Kuki-dominated areas.
Meanwhile, uncertainty continues over the future of President’s Rule in Manipur, imposed on February 13, 2025, and whether it will be extended, even as BJP legislators explore options to form a government. Kuki groups have maintained that they would consider joining a popular government only if a concrete written assurance on their Union Territory demand is secured within the tenure of the current Assembly.
