Amid growing concerns over alleged unauthorized claims of village status and territorial assertions, Sapam Kangleipal Meitei, Vice President of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), Manipur State, has formally filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, seeking official clarification from the Department of Tribal Affairs and Hills regarding the recognition of the so-called “Gwaltabi Kuki Village.”
In a statement to the media, Kangleipal revealed that he had taken personal initiative to file the RTI petition after encountering a press release dated May 16, 2025, purportedly issued by a body identifying itself as the “Gwaltabi Kuki Village Authority.”
The release, signed by one Ngamkhai Haokip, claims official village status and jurisdiction over part of Gwaltabi village in Imphal East District. The assertion has triggered public unease, given the delicate ethnic composition of the region and ongoing tensions surrounding land and administrative boundaries.
The RTI application, addressed to the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) of the Department of Tribal Affairs and Hills, seeks certified government records and decisions relating to the alleged recognition or establishment of “Gwaltabi Kuki Village.” Kangleipal has requested the department to clarify whether the village has been officially declared or recognized by the Government of Manipur under existing norms and procedures.
“If such recognition exists,” the RTI application states, “please furnish certified copies of the relevant government orders or notifications, including the date of recognition and the criteria or procedure followed.”
The petition also asks for disclosure of any proposals, applications, or file notings related to the matter, whether pending or disposed.
Additionally, the application seeks access to notifications, circulars, office memoranda, and official correspondence related to “Gwaltabi Kuki Village;” records of communication between the Department and any individual or authority claiming to represent “Gwaltabi Kuki Village Authority;” documentation regarding inclusion of the alleged village in official government lists for purposes such as hill village recognition, tax collection, developmental schemes, and census enumeration; survey reports, cadastral maps, village boundary records concerning the area in question; and names and designations of government officials involved in processing or recommending recognition, if any.
