Churachandpur, September 23, 2025: The Village Authority Council (VAC), Lamka South TD Block has strongly rejected the recent Notification of the Manipur Land Resources Department dated September 18, 2025, calling it unconstitutional and a blatant attempt to undermine the rights of tribal communities in the state’s constitutionally protected Hill Areas.
In a press release issued today, the VAC stated that the order violates Article 371C of the Indian Constitution, which mandates that any matter relating to the tribal lands of Hill Areas requires consultation with the Hill Areas Committee (HAC). The Council alleged that the notification, along with laws like the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, is being used to extend valley land laws to the Hill Areas, thereby eroding tribal autonomy.
“The time has come for the tribal people to work together to safeguard our constitutionally protected ancestral territories,” the statement read, stressing that the indigenous people must remain vigilant against what it termed as the government’s “illegal moves” to encroach onto tribal lands.
The VAC further asserted that the Government’s action during the imposition of President’s Rule was a continuation of successive majoritarian policies aimed at manipulating land laws to the detriment of tribal rights. It warned that lasting peace in Manipur would not be possible unless such land laws are repealed or declared non-applicable in the Hill Areas.
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Calling for unity, the Council urged tribal leaders, Village Authorities, and communities to resist any attempt to impose a “common land law” across the state, which it said ultimately benefits non-tribal communities at the expense of tribal rights.
The press release was signed by Chairman H. Mangchinkhup and Secretary Hmunthang Valte, reaffirming the Council’s commitment to protecting tribal lands under the constitutional safeguards of Article 371C.
