Manipur BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte, who had been battling severe injuries sustained during the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023, died at a hospital in Haryana’s Gurugram on Thursday.

Valte, a representative from the Thanlon assembly constituency in Churachandpur district, was attacked in Imphal when tensions between Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities escalated into widespread clashes. The assault left him with critical head injuries that significantly affected his mobility and speech.

Long medical struggle after 2023 attack

Following the attack on May 4, 2023, Valte was admitted to a hospital in Delhi, where he spent several months in intensive care. According to his family, he suffered debilitating head trauma that left him wheelchair-bound and dependent on assistance for routine physical movements.

Despite prolonged treatment in the national capital for nearly two years, his health remained fragile. He later returned to Manipur, but complications linked to the injuries persisted.

Earlier this month, Valte complained of breathlessness and chest pain, prompting doctors to stabilise him in intensive care before he was flown to Delhi in an air ambulance on February 8. His condition had reportedly shown slight improvement before the transfer.

Family alleges role of Arambai Tenggol

Valte’s family had alleged that members of the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol were responsible for the attack in 2023. His son, David Mang Valte, had earlier stated that the MLA was assaulted while returning after meeting the then Chief Minister amid the communal crisis involving Kuki, Meitei and Zomi communities.

Valte belonged to the Zomi tribe and was serving as a BJP legislator from Thanlon at the time of his death.

Condolences pour in

Several political leaders expressed grief over his passing. Two-time MLA T Robindro Singh said his last meeting with Valte at Imphal Airport before he was airlifted for advanced treatment remains “deeply emotional and unforgettable.” He described Valte as a kind-hearted and humble leader who was always concerned about the welfare of the people.

Valte’s death marks the end of a prolonged and painful chapter that began with the outbreak of ethnic unrest in Manipur in 2023.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched the second phase of the Vibrant Village Programme in Assam, announcing a Rs 6,900-crore investment aimed at strengthening development in border areas.

The initiative seeks to transform 140 villages along the Bangladesh border in Assam into centres of modern education, employment and infrastructure. Shah formally inaugurated the programme at Natanpur village in the Barak Valley region of the state.

Focus on education, jobs and infrastructure

Addressing the gathering, Shah said the programme would ensure that border villages receive facilities on par with other parts of the country. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for prioritising development in these regions.

“Today, we are officially beginning the Vibrant Village Programme-II, and through this, we will bring development to bordering villages and facilities like any other place across the country. This has been possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Shah said.

He added that Natanpur would not be known merely for its proximity to the border but for excelling in education, employment generation, road connectivity, telecommunications and electricity.

Coverage across 17 states

According to Shah, the Centre has earmarked Rs 6,900 crore under Vibrant Village Programme-II to develop 334 blocks and 1,954 villages across 17 states.

In Assam alone, nine districts, 26 blocks and 140 villages have been identified under the scheme. Shah said all amenities in these villages would match those available in other villages across India.

“There was a time when border villages were called the last villages and lacked many amenities, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided that all border villages will be the first villages. Now these villages will be first in road, sanitation, drinking water, communications, employment and education,” he said.

The programme aims to strengthen infrastructure and socio-economic conditions in border areas, particularly those along the Bangladesh frontier in Assam.

In a significant intervention in the ongoing dispute over the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter rolls in West Bengal, the Supreme Court on Friday directed the Calcutta High Court to appoint judicial officers to assist in the process.

The top court said the move was necessary due to an “unfortunate scenario of allegations and counter allegations” between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission, which has led to a trust deficit between the two constitutional authorities.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that the process had stalled at the stage of examining claims and objections from individuals whose names were included in the discrepancy list. He noted that the court was compelled to pass an “extraordinary order” owing to “extraordinary circumstances”.

The judicial officers appointed by the high court will examine claims and objections related to the voter roll clean-up drive. The Supreme Court asked the Calcutta High Court to spare serving as well as former judicial officers in the rank of additional district judge or district judge to assist in each district.

Meeting of top officials ordered

To work out the operational details, the Supreme Court directed the State Election Commissioner, the chief secretary, the police chief and other senior officials to hold a meeting with the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.

The court highlighted that the state is obligated to provide Group A officers to perform duties of Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) and Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs). It pointed to a dispute over the rank and competence of officials deployed to function as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs).

“It is nearly impossible for this court to determine the status and rank of officials now deployed by the ECI given by the state,” the bench observed.

Expressing dissatisfaction, the court said it was left with “hardly any other option” but to request the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to deploy judicial officers to ensure fairness in adjudicating the genuineness of documents and decisions regarding inclusion or exclusion from the voter list.

Strong remarks from the bench

The Supreme Court made strong remarks over what it described as a lack of cooperation.

“A situation is being created where judicial officers have to intervene. We were expecting cooperation by the state. Is this the level of communication from the state?” Chief Justice Kant said, expressing disappointment over delayed responses to earlier orders.

Sharp exchanges were reported between senior lawyers representing the West Bengal government and the Election Commission. While the state argued that sufficient Group B officers had been provided, the Election Commission maintained that competent Group A officers capable of discharging quasi-judicial functions were not made available.

“You are not providing competent Group A officers. How can incompetent officials decide the fate of the people?” the court remarked, adding that there appeared to be hesitancy on both ends.

The bench stressed that cooperation from all stakeholders was essential and cautioned the state government to create an enabling environment for the judicial officers nominated by the high court.

“Please cooperate with the high court. Please create an environment for them to function. Imagine what will happen if the SIR process is not completed,” the court said.

Political backdrop

The SIR exercise has triggered a political row in West Bengal, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing the Election Commission of targeting the state and misusing the voter roll revision to exclude genuine voters.

Earlier this month, she met top Election Commission officials in New Delhi and warned that she could mobilise large numbers of people to protest before the poll body.

Banerjee has also questioned why a similar SIR exercise was not conducted in BJP-ruled Assam and alleged that West Bengal and Kerala were being unfairly targeted.

With the Bengal assembly election approaching and major parties stepping up campaigning, the voter roll revision has become a central political flashpoint.