Imphal: The federal government will likely stall the national Census in Manipur before the state Assembly session kicks off on September 2. Representatives from 14 civil society organizations returned to Imphal on Friday after lobbying officials in New Delhi. They met with Intelligence Bureau agents and the North East security adviser starting August 20.
Delegates representing Meitei, Naga, and Meitei Pangal groups pushed for a full update of the National Register of Citizens. They fear current demographic shifts threaten indigenous interests. Shanta Nahakpam, spokesperson for the delegation, confirmed the group pressured authorities to curb the presence of illegal immigrants. The coalition views the upcoming Census as a potential threat to data accuracy. "The demand for implementing the NRC in Manipur was reiterated in each meeting," Nahakpam stated.
The group expects the central government to halt the Census process shortly. However, the delegation is now calling for a formal tripartite sit-down. This meeting must include the Manipur state government, the Centre, and local leaders. They plan to map out exactly how to track and handle undocumented individuals. Whether the state relies on the Foreigners Act or the NRC remains a key sticking point. Officials must decide the path forward with all stakeholders involved.
Updated at 28th August 2026 at 9:46pm
The pressure is heating up outside the halls of power. The Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) campaign has issued a hard deadline of midnight on August 31 for the federal government to commit to postponing the Census. If officials fail to cough up an official guarantee by then, the group plans to trigger a 24-hour state-wide general strike starting September 1.
The group is digging in on the details, insisting that any NRC update must use 1951 as the base year to effectively screen for Indian citizenship. JFD convenor Jeetendra Ningomba stated that the organization and the people will not accept the Census unless this condition is met. The group is now looking to the Assembly floor, demanding lawmakers pass a formal resolution during the September 2, 3, and 7 sessions that locks in the No NRC, No Census stance.
The threat of unrest looms large if the government drags its feet. JFD plans to mobilize people to march on the Assembly on September 7. If the legislature fails to adopt their requested resolution, the group has warned it will launch an indefinite state-wide shutdown starting that night. Even if the Assembly caves, the group has promised a 48-hour window on September 8 and 9 for the government to issue an official, public order deferring the count. Should that window pass without action, a fresh general strike will kick off on September 10.
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