Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: The Ministry of Home Affairs officially deferred house-listing operations for the 2027 Census in Manipur. Registrar General Mritunjay Kumar Narayan issued the notification on September 5 under the Census Act of 1948. The order amends a previous January 7, 2026, mandate. No new start date exists. This move follows ongoing ethnic tensions and intense pressure from civil society groups.
The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) responded with fresh demands. During a September 5 press conference in Imphal East, convenor Jeetendra Ningombam insisted that the state update the National Register of Citizens using 1951 as the base year. They want this completed before any census activity begins. The JFD urged the state government to send a delegation, led by the Chief Minister and Home Minister, to New Delhi to lock in this deadline by September 2026. The group also requested a white paper on the process and the full reconstitution of the State Population Commission.
Protests are building. The JFD scheduled a public campaign for September 6 between 7 pm and 8 pm. Supporters will chant slogans including "NO NRC, NO CENSUS" and "NRC Base Year 1951". On September 7, the group plans to gather at the Citizens Club in Soibam Leikai, Wangkhei Khunou, at 11 am to pressure the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly. They want the government to table the official census deferment order and adopt a clear stance on the base year issue.
Separately, a coalition of 14 civil society organizations is pushing for a unified front. IPR Sub-Committee convenor H. Babulu defended the group's outreach to central leaders. He dismissed claims of political bias and reaffirmed the group's mission. He stated, "The ongoing movement was a people's movement aimed at protecting the identity and rights of the indigenous population." The coalition intends to continue using legal and diplomatic channels to force the government's hand.
Comments