[8][9] On 19 March, unidentified gunmen opened fire on the Congress Party's Outer Manipur candidate, Alfred Kanngam Arthur, while he was participating in a village-level consultative meeting in the Ukhrul district.

[14] A week before the first phase of polling, armed militants, alleged to belong to Arambai Tenggol, attacked a border region of Kangpokpi district in the Thoubal river valley, called Phailengmol Island Block, and killed two Kuki-Zo village defence volunteers.

[15][16][17] The gruesome attacks and display caused the Kuki-Zo civil society organisations to come out with calls for boycotting the general election, saying "no justice, no vote".

The Global Kuki-Zomi-Hmar Women Community, including journalists social workers, politicians and leaders, had earlier written to the Chief Election Commissioner, informing him of its decision to boycott the polls.

[20] Kuki Inpi Churachandpur issued a directive asking its residents to vote against the ruling BJP and its allied partners, which included the Naga People's Front.

[23][24] At Moirang Kampu (in Imphal East), a group of unidentified miscreants arrived in an SUV, had an argument in the polling booth and then fired a few rounds at the people from their vehicle.

[25][26] In the Outer Manipur constituency, the Kuki-Zo people in the Kangpokpi district were reported to have abstained from voting as per the instructions of Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills.

[31] The polling agent of Naga People's Front alleged large-scale booth capturing by armed militants in these constituencies, requesting a re-poll from the election commission.

[32][33] During Phase 2 polling, there were reports that armed militias were forcing voters to vote only for the Naga People's Front (NDA) candidate, Timothy Zimik.

The Inner Manipur seat was won by Bimol Akoijam with a margin of over 100,000 votes from his nearest rival Thounaojam Basant Kumar Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Outer Manipur seat was won by Alfred Kanngam Arthur with a margin of 85,000 over his nearest rival K. Timothy Zimik of Naga People's Front.

[37] The results were interpreted as representing popular dissatisfaction with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in managing the ethnic violence that has plagued the state for over a year and the apparent apathy from the central leadership.

In the Imphal Valley region, it was said that people were pointing fingers at the ruling party for the first time, and blaming it for letting militias like Arambai Tenggol function with impunity.