Elections to the Manipur Territorial Council were held between 25 February and 11 March 1957. It was the first council election since the merger of Manipur with the Indian Union. The election produced a fractured outcome in which the Indian National Congress became the largest party but without holding a majority in the council. Eventually the Congress could obtain a majority of seats due to migration of Independent council members into the party fold.
Background
After Manipur merged with the Indian Union in 1949, it became a 'Part C' state without a legislature under the 1950 Constitution.[1][2] In 1954 there was a mass protest movement in Manipur demanding an elected state government.[3] With the passing of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 Manipur was upgraded to Union Territory on 1 November 1956, to be administered by a Chief Commissioner and a Territorial Council.[4][3][2] The provisions for the Territorial Council election was set out in the Union Territorial Council Act, 1956, passed by the Indian parliament.[1][5][6]
Electoral system and preparations
The Manipur Territorial Council election took place alongside the 1957 Lok Sabha (parliament) election.[7] Voting took place on 25 February, 2 March and 11 March 1957.[5] Per the Union Territorial Council Act, 1956 the Manipur Territorial Council would have 30 elected members and 2 members nominated by the Government of India.[5][6] There would be 30 geographic constituencies electing a single member each – the Valley would have 20 seats and the Hills 10 seats.[5][1][8] There was no reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.[1] The electorate consisted of 330,211 registered voters – 161,337 men and 168,874 women.[7] Four parties contested the election – the Indian National Congress, the Socialist Party, the Communist Party of India and the Praja Socialist Party.[1] There was also a large cohort of independent candidates in the fray.[1] All in all, 148 candidates contested the election.[5][6]
There were only 85 invalid votes cast.[7] The highest number of votes polled was that of the Socialist Party candidate Laisram Achaw Singh in the Wangkhei-Kongba constituency, who obtained 4,667 votes (45.22%).[7][10] In parallel to the Territorial Council election, Laisram Achaw Singh also contested the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat and was elected to Parliament.[11] The smallest number of votes of any winning candidate was that of the Congress candidate in the Hiyanglam-Sugnoo constituency (956 votes).[7] Among the 148 candidates there was a single woman, CPI candidate T. Sabi Devi in the Wangkhei-Kongba constituency.[12][13] T. Sabi Devi was a resident of Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal and had been a prominent leader of the 1939 Nupi Lal women's movement.[5][13] She was one of five candidates in the fray in the constituency, but lost her deposit having received 482 votes (4.67%).[5][12][6]
Circle V and Hiyanglam, Wabgai, Keirak and Mayenglamjao villages of Circle IV of Laifam pana of Thoubal tahsil
17.
Kakching-Wangjing
Khundongbam Itocha Singh
Communist
Valley
Circle VII of Khabam pana and Pallel, Kakching, Mantak, Irengband and Sora villages of Laifam pana of Thoubal tahsil
18.
Charangpat-Khonjom
Sorokhaibam Chourajit Singh
Congress
Valley
Circle III of Laifam pana and Pechi, Langmeithet, Bengi, Icham Thana, Thokchom, Charangpat Mamang, Charangpat Maklang, Foudel, Hayel Loubook, Bishnu Naha and Wangkhem villages of Circle VI of Khabam pana of Thoubal tahsil
19.
Thoubal-Chandrakhong
Waikhom Nimaichand Singh
Independent
Valley
Circle II of Laifam pana and Phanjang-Khong, Ningel, Chandrakhong, Kakmayai How-Leikai, Leirongthel, Malom, Bitr, Sekmai-Khunbi, Kwarok Maring, Khudei Khunou, Khoirom, Kekru, Bamon Leikai, Sikhong, Sikhong Khunou, Ingourok, Ukhongsang and Lourembam villages of Circle VI of Khabam pana of Thoubal tahsil
Churachandpur Subdivision sans the villages from the former Thanlon Circle
Nominated
R.K. Muthra Devi
Congress
Nominated
Anal Akim
Congress
Notes
^In 1957 the Socialist Party had not been able to register with the Election Commission of India, and contested general elections across India as Independents. As of 1959–1960 the strength of parties in the Manipur Territorial Council was reported as Congress 17, Socialist 6, Communist 4 and Independents 3. Six of the seven Socialists elected in 1957 can be identified by the 1959–1960 Times of India Directory. And as outlined in the table below, five members elected as Independents in 1957 (including one Valley socialist member) had joined the Congress by 1959–1960 whilst two Congress members had become Independents.[16]
^Socialist Party leader Laisram Achaw Singh was also elected to the Lok Sabha in the 1957 election, representing the Inner Manipur constituency. India, a Reference Annual 1959 lists the Wangkhei-Kongba seat as 'vacant'.[15]The Times of India Directory And Year Book Including Whos Who 1959–60 lists the socialist Thokchom Angou Singh as the member from Wangkhei-Kongba.[16]
^Paolen reportedly joined the Indian National Congress in 1957.[19] Listed as an Indian National Congress member in The Times of India Directory And Year Book Including Whos Who 1959–60.[16]
Aftermath
The Manipur Territorial Council was constituted on 16 August 1957.[4] On 2 September 1957 the Chief Commissioner P.C. Matthew nominated two women as council members – R.K. Mukhara Devi and Anal Akim.[6][12][5][14] The two nominated female council members would eventually join the Indian National Congress.[1] On 5 September 1957 the Territorial Council elected its chairman.[12] The election of chairman was marred by the divisions in the Congress faction in the council.[12] H. Dwijamani Deva Sharma defeated Mairembam Koireng Singh in a vote for the post of chairman.[1][12] On 27 September 1957 Sharma was dismissed from the post of chairman, and Sibo Larho from the Indian National Congress was elected new chairman on 8 October 1957.[1][12] The tenure of the Territorial Council elected in 1957 remained until the next Territorial Council election in 1962.[1]
^ abThomas, C. Joshua; Gopalakrishnan, Ramamoorthy; Singh, R. K. Ranjan (2001). Constraints in Development of Manipur. Regency Publications [for Policy Alternatives for the North-East and Conflict Elimination Awareness]. ISBN978-81-87498-30-8.
^ abIndia, a Reference Annual. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1958. pp. 491–492
^ abIndia, a Reference Annual. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1959. p. 471
