No consensus on creation of 7 new Manipur districts

The issue related to the creation of seven new districts in Manipur remained unresolved after Thursday’s high-level tripartite talks between the Centre, the state government and the United Naga Council (UNC) held in Senapati district.

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The parties concerned failed to arrive at a diplomatic solution, even though the officials agreed to continue the discussions in April, 2025. Sources said the Manipur Government would present a fresh proposal, addressing the UNC’s demand to roll back district creation at the next meeting. The UNC has consistently opposed the state’s 2016 decision to carve out new administrative units.

The dispute originates from the state’s 2016 decision to create new districts, which the UNC claims altered traditional Naga territories without consultation with them. The council has maintained this position through multiple rounds of negotiations over the past eight years. Ministry of Home Affairs Adviser for Northeast AK Mishra represented the Centre, while Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh led the state delegation. A 12-member UNC team, led by its president, presented the Naga perspective.