The Federation of Haomee has urged the Government of Manipur to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC), stating that the state possesses the legal authority to undertake the exercise without awaiting further approval from the Central Government.
In a press release, Federation of Haomee Publicity Secretary Dr. Huiremcha Henba stated that the Pass and Permit System, which was in force when Manipur was an independent kingdom, was abolished on November 18, 1951, by the then Commissioner, Himat Singh, following Manipur’s merger with the Indian Union.
He alleged that the abolition of the system led to unrestricted entry of people from Bangladesh, Myanmar and other places into the state, posing what the organisation described as a serious threat to the indigenous population. He further claimed that some of these migrants have subsequently gained representation in the Manipur Legislative Assembly.
The release also stated that agreements signed between the Government of Manipur and various organisations in 1990 and 1994 for the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants have remained largely unimplemented by successive governments.
Referring to the implementation of the NRC, Dr. Henba maintained that the exercise does not require the approval of the Central Government alone, as the Government of Manipur has already been vested with the necessary powers.
Citing a communication issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on April 13, 2026, he said the powers conferred upon the Central Government under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2005, to detect illegal foreign nationals, regulate their movement and deport them have been delegated to all State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, including the Government of Manipur, through MHA Notification No. S.O. 3998(E) dated September 1, 2005, under Section 28 of the Act.