CSOs urge Manipur Assembly to defer census until NRC update

Several civil society organisations in Manipur have urged the state Assembly to adopt a resolution to defer the Census until the National Register of Citizens (NRC) or a similar legal mechanism is implemented for the detection of illegal migrants.
Speaking to media persons at the office of International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA), Shanta Nahakpam, General Secretary of the United Committee Manipur (UCM), said the press briefing was organised in response to a statement made by the Chief Minister of Manipur regarding the conduct of the Census and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Shanta Nahakpam, speaking on behalf of several like-minded organisations including Kangleipak Integrity and Legislative League (KILL) and All Communities Organisation Association Manipur (ACOAM) Lup, said the Chief Minister had indicated that the Special Intensive Revision would be conducted first, followed by the house-listing process for the Census. He stated that there is a significant difference between what the people of Manipur have been demanding and the position expressed by the government.
According to him, the SIR has no direct relation with either the NRC or the Census. He said the SIR is only an administrative exercise related to electoral rolls, aimed at identifying deceased voters, registering new voters and removing ineligible names.
The civil society groups maintained that the people of Manipur have been demanding the updating of the NRC before conducting the Census for several reasons. Shanta Nahakpam pointed out that the current session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly is being held with nine MLAs not participating, while six are attending through virtual mode, raising questions about whether the situation in the state can be considered fully normalised.
He cited precedents where Census operations were postponed due to prevailing conditions. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Census was delayed multiple times due to the security situation, while the first Census in Arunachal Pradesh was conducted only in 1969. Similarly, Census operations in Assam were also postponed during periods of unrest.
Shanta Nahakpam further stated that during 1969 several new villages were reportedly listed by administrative authorities in Manipur, which should be reviewed. He also pointed out that after the government froze district boundaries for Census purposes in December 2025, disputes and changes concerning administrative areas such as Senapati, Mao, Maram, Purul and Paomata need careful examination.
He recalled that the population figures of the 2001 Census for Manipur were cancelled by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India due to reported anomalies and were later reinstated in 2014.
The CSO representatives also stated that the Manipur government had earlier signed agreements with various civil society groups to identify foreigners residing in the state, but the exercise had not been implemented.
In view of these concerns, the organisations urged the Assembly to undertake a thorough review of population data, district boundaries, newly listed villages and their corresponding population figures by comparing them with the master directory of the Census and the relevant administrative records.
They appealed to the state government not to proceed with Census activities in Manipur until the NRC is updated and the issue of illegal migration is properly addressed.