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. In 1954 there was a mass protest movement in Manipur demanding an elected state government. 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.Manipur Legislative Assembly. History of Manipur Legislative AssemblyPradip Phanjoubam. The Northeast Question: Conflicts and frontiers. Routledge, 2015Tara Boland-Crewe, David Lea. The Territories and States of India. Routledge, 2003. The provisions for the Territorial Council election was set out in the Union Territorial Council Act, 1956, passed by the Indian parliament.A. Prafullokumar Singh. Elections and political dynamics. Mittal Publications, 2009. pp. 26–27

Electoral system and preparations The Manipur Territorial Council election took place alongside the 1957 Lok Sabha (parliament) election. Voting took place on 25 February, 2 March and 11 March 1957. 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. There would be 30 geographic constituencies electing a single member each – the Valley would have 20 seats and the Hills 10 seats.General Statutory Rules and Orders: As modified up to the 1st December, 1963. Manager of Publications, 1960. pp. 486–487 There was no reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The electorate consisted of 330,211 registered voters – 161,337 men and 168,874 women.Singh, Rabindra Pratap. Electoral Politics in Manipur: A Spatio-temporal Study. New Delhi: Concept publishing company, 1981. pp. 21, 26–30 Four parties contested the election – the Indian National Congress, the Socialist Party, the Communist Party of India and the Praja Socialist Party. There was also a large cohort of independent candidates in the fray. All in all, 148 candidates contested the election.

Result PartyValleyHillsTotalCandidatesSeatswonCandidatesSeatswonCandidatesSeatswonVotes%Indian National Congress209103301248,77128.01%Socialist Party1855223734,56619.87%Communist Party of India1641017419,84011.40%Praja Socialist Party2001021010,0765.78%Independents38219557760,83434.94% Roach, James R. India's 1957 Elections. Far Eastern Survey, vol. 26, no. 5, 1957, pp. 65–78. JSTOR

There were only 85 invalid votes cast. 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%). In parallel to the Territorial Council election, Laisram Achaw Singh also contested the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat and was elected to Parliament. The smallest number of votes of any winning candidate was that of the Congress candidate in the Hiyanglam-Sugnoo constituency (956 votes). Among the 148 candidates there was a single woman, CPI candidate T. Sabi Devi in the Wangkhei-Kongba constituency. 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. She was one of five candidates in the fray in the constituency, but lost her deposit having received 482 votes (4.67%).

Elected members + Manipur Territorial Council members elected in 1957The Times Of India Directory And Year Book Including Who's Who 1957–58. p. 973India, a Reference Annual. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1958. pp. 491–492India, a Reference Annual. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1959. p. 471The Times Of India Directory And Year Book Including Who's Who 1959–60. p. 1093India, a Reference Annual. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1960. p. 464No.ConstituencyMemberPartyRegionGeographic area of the constituency1.KhuraiKongbrailatpam Borthakur SarmaSocialistValleyCircle IV of Imphal pana of East Imphal tahsil2.Wangkhei-KongbaLaisram Achaw SinghSocialistValleyCircle III of Imphal pana of East Imphal tahsil 3.Irinbung-Yairipok-Top ChingthaMuhammad Amzed AliCongressValleyCircle III and V of Khabam pana of East Imphal tahsil4.Lamlai-KeiraoTongbram Kundo SinghCommunistValleyCircle II and IV of Khabam pana of East Imphal tahsil 5.SagolmangAthokpam Thabi SinghCommunistValleyCircle I of Khabam pana and Circle I of Naharup pana of East Imphal tahsil, as well as various Hill villages6.Sekmai-LamsangKhwairakpam Chaoba SinghCongressValleyCircles II, III and IV of Naharup pana of Imphal West tahsil 7.Salam Khumbong-KonthaujamKhoisnam Heitombi SinghCommunistValleyCircles V and VI of Naharup pana of Imphal West tahsil8.Uripok-Lalambung-ThangmeibandHidangmayum Dwijamani SharmaCongressValleyCircle I (Part I) of Imphal pana of Imphal West tahsil9.SagolbandNongthombam Ibomcha SinghIndependentValleyCircle I (Part II) of Imphal pana of Imphal West tahsil10.KeishamthongLaisram Kulachandra SinghSocialistValleyCircle II (Part I) of Imphal pana of Imphal West tahsil11.SingjameiThokchom Chandrasekhar SinghSocialistValleyCircle II (Part II) of Imphal pana of Imphal West tahsil12.Wangoi-Mayang ImphalNingthoujam Tomchow SinghIndependentValleyCircles I and VI of Ahalloop pana of Imphal West tahsil13.Nambol-KeinouYumnam Yaima SinghCongressValleyCircles II and III of Ahalloop pana of Bishenpur tahsil14.Bishenpur-MoirangHemam Nilamani SinghCongressValleyCircles IV and V of Ahalloop pana of Bishenpur tahsil15.Kumbi-ThangaMairembam Koireng SinghCongressValleyCircle VII of Ahalloop pana of Bishenpur tahsil16.Hiyanglam-SugnooElangbam Nadi SinghCongressValleyCircle V and Hiyanglam, Wabgai, Keirak and Mayenglamjao villages of Circle IV of Laifam pana of Thoubal tahsil17.Kakching-WangjingKhundongbam Itocha SinghCommunistValleyCircle VII of Khabam pana and Pallel, Kakching, Mantak, Irengband and Sora villages of Laifam pana of Thoubal tahsil18.Charangpat-KhonjomSorokhaibam Chourajit SinghCongressValleyCircle 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 tahsil19.Thoubal-ChandrakhongWaikhom Nimaichand SinghIndependentValleyCircle 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 tahsil20.LilongMuhammad AlimuddinCongressValleyCircle I of Laifam pana of Thoubal tahsil21.TengnuoupalPaokhohangIndependentHillsTengnoupal Circle22.PhaisatRishang KeishingSocialistHillsThe villages of the former Phaisat Circle (now merged with the Ukhrul Subdivision)23.UkhrulNgalangzarCongressHillsUkhrul Subdivision sans the villages from the former Phaisat Circle24.Mao EastNgaono ThoisoIndependentHillsKhamson, Ngatan, Thayang Khullen, Calam, Yanoi, Chawal, Tingsung, Changsang Changjapao, Changsang Solet, Laisang Phoong, Washangphung, Ngawar, Ngamju, Theba Khunou, Thingba Khunou, Thingba Khullen, Oinam, Purul Atongba, Purul Akutpa, Koidei Maiba, Ngari Khullen, Ngari Khunou, Ngari Khullen-X'tian, Thiwa, Khungdei Basti X'tian, Lakhamei, Shirung, Kadong, Phaibung Khullen, Phaibung Khunou, Laii, Chingmai Khullen, Chingmai Khunou, Kataphumai, Liyai, Phuba, Thongjoy, Saranamei, Tungam Khunou and Tungam Khullen villages of Mao Circle25.Mao WestSibo LarhoCongressHillsPudunamei, Rubunamei, Punanamei, Chawainu, Songsong, Kalinamei, Tadabi, Sajouba, Makhel Khullen, Makhel Kaibi, Chakumai, Makhan, Chawainamei Khullen, Chawainaemei Khunou, Pudong, Maram Khullen, Karong, Khongnem Phoupi, Khongnem, Khabong Chalhang, Maram, Khunou, Maram Khunou Gurkhali, Taphou Khangdebi, Taphou Kuku, Phoibung, Sadim Pukhri, Sadim Luikang, Sadim Khongjai, Sorbund, Silasi, Oklong, Kangyang, Songtun, Songlun Khunou, Leikot, Pheilenkot, Chaka, Razamei, Wilong, Sangkhongmei, Yangkhullen, Yangkhunou, Thuyeng, Tamphung and Monoilam villages of Mao Circle26.AimolAthuiboSocialistHillsThe villages of the former Aimol Circle (now merged with the Tamenglong Subdivision)27.TamenglongKabipu KabuiIndependentHillsTamenglong Subdivision sans the villages from the former Aimol Circle28.JiriSinam Bijoy SinghCongressHillsJiribam Subdivision29.ThanlonVungkhomIndependentHillsThe villages of the former Thanlon Circle (now merged with the Churachandpur Subdivision)30.ChurachandpurPaolenIndependentHillsChurachandpur Subdivision sans the villages from the former Thanlon CircleNominatedR.K. Muthra DeviCongressNominatedAnal AkimCongress

Notes

Aftermath The Manipur Territorial Council was constituted on 16 August 1957. On 2 September 1957 the Chief Commissioner P.C. Matthew nominated two women as council members – R.K. Mukhara Devi and Anal Akim.Singh, O. Kulabidhu. PARTICIPATION OF MANIPURI WOMEN IN ELECTIONS A Critical Analysis. The Indian Journal of Political Science, vol. 70, no. 3, 2009, pp. 897–906. JSTORKh. Gourachandra Singh. MANIPURI WOMEN IN ASSEMBlY ELECTIONS, in Manipur Today, August 2022 The two nominated female council members would eventually join the Indian National Congress. On 5 September 1957 the Territorial Council elected its chairman. The election of chairman was marred by the divisions in the Congress faction in the council. H. Dwijamani Deva Sharma defeated Mairembam Koireng Singh in a vote for the post of chairman. 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. The tenure of the Territorial Council elected in 1957 remained until the next Territorial Council election in 1962.

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