IMPHAL: Women members of the Khurai Apunba Club organised a torch rally at Lamlong Bazar on Saturday, urging authorities to update and implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before conducting the next population Census, according to reports.
Call for transparency and resettlement of IDPs
The demonstrators demanded greater transparency and accountability in the NRC process and pressed the state and federal authorities to address long-standing concerns on the status of outsiders and internally displaced persons (IDPs) prior to enumeration, the reports said. Similar protests under the umbrella of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) have been held across the state in recent days.
According to the reports, the protests escalated from an appeal by the JFD for people to march to Deputy Commissioners’ offices and press for deferring the Census unless the NRC is updated and IDPs are resettled.
“We had urged the state government to not conduct a census as the condition of the state is not good. The government had a press briefing saying that some MLAs will meet with the centre, but it does not work this way. We don’t have a problem with the census but first NRC should be conducted and the outsiders should be ousted. The government is there for the protection of life, property.”
The statement, reproduced in the reports, encapsulates the protesters’ twin demands: completion or updating of the NRC roll and the rehabilitation or resettlement of people displaced in earlier violence, before the Census proceeds.
Protests spread across Imphal and other towns
The reports listed multiple locations in Imphal where demonstrative marches took place following the JFD’s call: Uripok-Kangchup Road, Tiddim Road, Kongba Road, and Khurai-Lamlong. Police were reported to have erected barricades at some locations to manage the crowds during the demonstrations.
| Location | Reported action |
|---|---|
| Lamlong Bazar (Khurai) | Torch rally by Khurai Apunba Club (women members) |
| Uripok-Kangchup Road | Protest march under JFD |
| Tiddim Road | Protest march under JFD |
| Kongba Road | Protest march under JFD |
Context and authorities’ response
The reports said the intensification of protests followed consultations between the JFD and leaders of various organisations, including Meira Paibi groups. Demonstrators insisted that the Census should not proceed until the NRC process is completed or updated and IDPs are resettled, framing the demand as necessary to ensure accurate enumeration and protection of local interests.
There was no specific account in the reports of any arrests, clashes or administrative orders issued in direct response to Saturday’s torch rally. The reports noted that police had deployed barricades to control crowds in some areas, a standard crowd-management measure.
What the protesters want — key points
- Immediate updating/implementation of the NRC before the Census.
- Resettlement or rehabilitation of internally displaced persons prior to enumeration.
- Greater transparency and accountability in NRC procedures to allay public concerns.
The reports did not provide a formal response from the state government, the Census authorities or the Home Ministry on the protesters’ demand that enumeration be deferred until the NRC update and IDP resettlement are completed.
Implications for the Census and social stability
Calls to link the Census schedule with the NRC process highlight continuing anxieties in parts of Manipur over citizenship, migration and the aftermath of violence that displaced families. Any such linkage would require policy decisions at both the state and central levels, with implications for logistics and timelines of the Census exercise.
For now, the reports indicate that community groups and civil-society bodies remain active in articulating their demands through peaceful protest. How the state government and relevant central agencies respond—whether through dialogue, assurances on procedure, or administrative action—will determine whether tensions ease ahead of the enumeration planned by the Census authorities.
Further developments, official statements and any administrative directives were not available in the reports reviewed.
