ABSTRACT
Manipur is a land of monographs. Over generations, Nepalis settled down permanently in Manipur and turned into bonafide citizens of it with proper domicile records. They were strategically settled by the British so that the colonial rulers could have a control over the raids by the hill tribes on the valley people and arrest the rebellious behaviour of the hill tribes. One important aspect of the Gorkha settlements in Manipur is that although they were established by the British themselves, they collected foreigners' tax from the Nepalis, while the Manipur State Council granted them domicile status in 1947. On the contrary, the Nepalis want the government to extend the Manipur Land Record Act to the hill areas so that their land rights can be guaranteed. The issue of indigenous versus the diasporic community was brought into sharp focus when the Nepalis of Manipur were not allowed to cast votes in the last panchayat elections.
