Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: The women's wing of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation launched a signature drive targeting Manipur legislators. The group wants to force elected officials to pick a side on updating the National Register of Citizens using 1951 as the base year. They also want to stop the upcoming Census until the NRC is settled.
Campaigners kicked off the effort on September 29 by delivering a five-point memorandum to four MLAs. The targeted representatives include Heikham Dingo Singh of 16-Sekmai, Khongbantabam Ibomcha of 8-Lamlai, Leishangthem Susindro Meitei of 3-Khurai, and Lourembam Rameshwor Meetei of 6-Keirao. Each legislator received a formal declaration form to record their official stance on the demands.
JFD Women's Wing convenor Sougrakpam Sumati Devi said the legislators expressed support for the demands raised by the organisation. The group is turning up the heat after a September 27 rally near the Palace Compound in Imphal was blocked by security forces.
The memorandum demands the state government force the Centre to update the NRC using 1951 as the cutoff. They are pushing for the reconstitution of the Manipur State Population Commission and the release of a white paper on illegal migration. The group also demands the authentication of original 1951 records and a new State Population Policy by December 2026. While the Manipur Legislative Assembly passed a resolution on September 2 asking the Centre to update the NRC, the JFD maintains that the resolution failed to specify the crucial 1951 base year. The group intends to keep approaching legislators to lock in their public positions.
Updated at 30th September 2026 at 5:51pm
The campaign widened its reach as three more legislators officially backed the movement. Kumbi MLA Sanasam Premchandra, Khetrigao MLA Sheikh Noorul Hassan, and Patsoi MLA Sapam Kunjakeshor signed the declaration forms, committing their support for the No NRC, No Census platform.
Alongside convenor Sougrakpam Sumati Devi, the outreach effort is now spearheaded by core committee members Laishram Bimola, P. Sobita, and W. Phulka.
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