Imphal, Manipur, March 25 (HBTV): Manipur MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to complete the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state and to remove bogus voters from electoral rolls before the delimitation process is taken up.

The MLA’s letter comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's directive to complete the delimitation process in a few states including Manipur within the next three months.

Welcoming the order in its intent to ensure fair representation, Singh said, "Certain critical issues in the state need to be addressed prior to undertaking this exercise to preserve the integrity of the process and ensure inclusivity."

Singh called for completion of the National Register of Citizens to identify genuine citizens of the country and the state. It added that the "step is fundamental to ensuring that representation within the democratic structure is reserved solely for Bonafide citizens."

Singh also called for identification and removal of Illegal Immigrants and bogus voters. Singh sais "electoral rolls must be scrutinized to eliminate any discrepancies caused by the inclusion of bogus or fake voters" adding "instances of anomalies in the voter list have already been reported, which need immediate rectification before delimitation begins."

Lauding he Election Commission of India's initiative to link Voter ID with Aadhaar as a commendable step towards ensuring a transparent and credible electoral process, Singh said for the state it is essential to first identify and eliminate fake Aadhaar cards to ensure a reliable and accurate linkage.

Further, Singh said that the state government, under the leadership of the then Chief Minister N Biren Singh had uncovered 65,000 fake Aadhaar cards, which highlighted a grave threat to the rights and identity of the indigenous people of the state.

The legislator has called for constitutional protection for indigenous peoples in 40 valley seats.