Imphal: Manipur is bracing for a showdown. Students, women’s organizations, and internally displaced families are filling the streets to demand a National Register of Citizens (NRC) update before the 2027 Census begins. The movement, dubbed No NRC, No Census, claims that population data must reflect accurate demographic counts before any official enumeration occurs.
The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation is leading the charge. They fear undocumented migration and changing demographics will skew future electoral representation. Displaced families from the 2023 ethnic conflict are also key participants. Many remain in camps far from their original homes. The protesters now emphasize a secondary demand, insisting, “No IDP Settlement, No Census” to protect the rights of those forced from their neighborhoods.
Agitators have held rallies, sit-ins, and human chains throughout the Imphal Valley. On August 20, the JFD Students’ Wing met with Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh to press the state to petition the Union government for the NRC exercise. The pushback has hit the state hard. A 48-hour general strike disrupted daily life, while local officials in some districts canceled training for census enumerators. Schools closed as law-and-order fears spiked.
State leaders remain caught in the middle. Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam noted the government is open to an NRC exercise within existing legal frameworks, though he clarified that no formal approval or schedule currently exists. The Union government intends to proceed with its own timeline, planning houselisting between April and September 2026, followed by the main population count in February 2027.
Officials maintain that the Census and an NRC are distinct operations. The Census gathers demographic and socio-economic data, while the NRC serves as a citizenship-verification process. Despite these technical differences, for the people of Manipur, the timing remains a flashpoint for long-term political and social stability.
Updated at 23rd August 2026 at 9:47am
The agitation has shifted from daytime rallies to the night. On August 22, protesters staged a torch rally in the Khurai area of Imphal East, marching through Lamlong Bazaar and Tellipati. This is now a recurring tactic, with the JFD planning torchlight protests every night. The group has also ordered a boycott of state and central government offices, though they granted exemptions for essential services like water, electricity, health, and education.
Bemlei Maibam, Secretary Organisation of the World Meetei Organisation, has emerged as a public face for the movement. Her group and others warn that population data from an unverified census will dictate development funding and political resource allocation for years to come.
Government officials have acknowledged the heat. The Manipur Home Department and the State Population Commission recently held a consultative meeting to discuss the census and the citizenship verification demands. While the Home Minister maintains the state is open to the idea, the Union government remains committed to its 2026 and 2027 timeline, which will rely on digital data collection and self enumeration tools.
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