Manipur govt urges CSOs to end NRC agitation, cites public hardship
Synopsis
Manipur's government is caught between two fires: CSOs shutting down offices in the Imphal Valley until the Centre agrees to an NRC before Census-2027, and the Kuki-Zo Council calling such a state-specific exercise unconstitutional. With ministers camping in Delhi and the Census already deferred once, the Centre's silence is the only thing keeping this standoff alive.
Key Takeaways
The Manipur government on 13 September 2026 urged CSOs including the CJFD to withdraw agitations that have forced the closure of government offices.
State spokespersons Thokchom Radheshyam Singh and Sapam Ranjan Singh said the closures are causing hardship to the general public.
The Manipur Assembly reaffirmed on 2 September its demand for NRC updation — with base year 1951 — before the Census-2027 .
The Central government deferred the Census-2027 exercise in Manipur on 31 August , a day before its scheduled start.
State Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh and other MLAs are camping in New Delhi to press the Centre on NRC updation.
The Kuki-Zo Council has opposed the demand, calling a state-specific NRC 'discriminatory and unconstitutional.'
The Manipur government on Sunday, 13 September 2026, formally appealed to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to call off their ongoing agitations — including the forced closure of Central and state government offices — that have been sustained in demand for an updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state before the Census-2027. The appeal was issued amid a widening standoff between civic groups and authorities in the Imphal Valley.
Government's Appeal and Key Argument
State government spokespersons Thokchom Radheshyam Singh and Sapam Ranjan Singh, both ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs, addressed a press conference to make the government's position clear. They argued that the closure of government offices was inflicting suffering and inconvenience on ordinary citizens, and appealed to all concerned parties 'to give peace a chance in Manipur.'
Radheshyam Singh stressed that the state government is fully cognisant of the Campaign for Justice and Fair Delimitation (CJFD)'s demand, and that the people of Manipur broadly support conducting the NRC before Census-2027. He noted that the Manipur Legislative Assembly had reaffirmed this position at its most recent session, and that Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh had personally conveyed this desire to the Central government.
Legislative Steps and Union Home Ministry Engagement
According to Radheshyam Singh, the last day of the recently concluded Assembly session also witnessed a substantive discussion on the base year of 1951 for the NRC, and this has been formally communicated to the Union Home Ministry. He further stated that following a campaign by Manipur Assembly members in New Delhi, the Chief Minister personally briefed Central leaders about the people's aspirations.
Notably, the spokesperson attributed the Centre's decision to defer the Census process in Manipur, at least in part, to this sustained legislative and executive pressure from the state. State Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh, along with several other MLAs, has reportedly been camping in New Delhi for several days to press the Centre on the NRC updation issue.
Background: Agitations and the Census Deferral
The CJFD and allied CSOs have been holding large-scale agitations predominantly across five districts of the Imphal Valley region — Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Kakching — since 17 August, demanding NRC updation ahead of the Census exercise. On 31 August, the Central government deferred the Census-2027 process in Manipur, a day before its pre-scheduled commencement, citing the continuing protests.
The Manipur Assembly's latest resolution on this matter came on 2 September, itself amid the backdrop of these agitations. Despite the deferral, the CJFD has since intensified its campaign by extending the government office closure drive — a move the state government warned could trigger 'undesirable incidents' and impair governance.
Kuki-Zo Council Pushes Back
The demand for a Manipur-specific NRC has drawn sharp opposition from the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the Kuki-Zo tribal community in the state. KZC spokesperson Ginza Vualzong argued that there is no constitutional provision permitting an NRC exercise confined to a single state. 'The NRC is a national exercise. The Assam NRC was undertaken pursuant to the Assam Accord of 1985. Therefore, any attempt to conduct an NRC exclusively in Manipur is not only discriminatory but also unconstitutional,' he said.
The tribal body's opposition adds another layer of complexity to an already fraught political landscape in Manipur, where ethnic tensions have remained a persistent fault line. The government has appealed to all sections of the public to support its efforts in restoring normalcy to the state.
What Happens Next
With state ministers still lobbying in New Delhi and the Centre yet to formally commit to a state-specific NRC, the standoff remains unresolved. The government expressed optimism that the Centre will act in line with the aspirations of Manipur's people, but without a concrete Central assurance, the CSOs appear unlikely to stand down. All eyes are now on the Union Home Ministry's next move.
Point of View
Point to legislative resolutions and ministerial trips to Delhi, and ask CSOs to stand down without delivering what they actually want: a Central commitment on the NRC. The Centre's Census deferral bought time but resolved nothing, and the Kuki-Zo Council's constitutional objection is legally substantive — there is no precedent for a unilateral state-level NRC outside the Assam Accord framework. If the Union Home Ministry continues to hold back, the government's 'hopeful' posture will erode further credibility with both the agitating groups and the tribal communities wary of what an NRC would mean for them.
NationPress
13 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are CSOs agitating in Manipur over the NRC?
Civil Society Organisations in Manipur, led by the Campaign for Justice and Fair Delimitation (CJFD), have been demanding that the National Register of Citizens be updated before the Census-2027 is conducted in the state. Their agitations, which include the closure of government offices, have been ongoing in the Imphal Valley since 17 August 2026.
Has the Manipur government taken any steps on NRC updation?
Yes. The Manipur Legislative Assembly reaffirmed its resolution for NRC updation — with a base year of 1951 — at its session on 2 September 2026. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh have both communicated the demand to the Union Home Ministry.
Why was the Census-2027 deferred in Manipur?
The Central government deferred the Census-2027 process in Manipur on 31 August 2026, one day before its pre-scheduled start, amid sustained protests by CSOs demanding that the NRC be updated before any Census exercise is undertaken.
What is the Kuki-Zo Council's position on the NRC demand?
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the Kuki-Zo tribal community, has opposed the demand, with spokesperson Ginza Vualzong arguing that there is no constitutional provision for a state-specific NRC. The KZC contends that such an exercise would be discriminatory and unconstitutional, noting that the Assam NRC was possible only because of the specific 1985 Assam Accord.
What is the government asking CSOs to do now?
The Manipur government is urging CSOs to withdraw their agitation — specifically the forced closure of Central and state government offices — and give the government time to secure a response from the Centre. Officials have expressed optimism that the Union Home Ministry will act in line with the people's wishes.
