Manipur NRC has become the centre of a fresh political and public mobilisation in the state, with the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) announcing a statewide shutdown of State and Central government offices from September 11 if its demand for a formal 1951 base year is not addressed. The organisation has set September 10 as the deadline for the Manipur government to secure an official assurance from the Centre on the proposed NRC exercise.
JFD sets September 11 deadline
The JFD’s latest move follows an assurance by Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam in the Assembly that 1951 would be considered the base year for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.
However, the JFD has said that an Assembly statement alone is not enough. It wants the State Government to obtain a formal commitment from the Government of India and provide a tentative schedule for the NRC exercise.
At a public meeting in Imphal East on September 7, the organisation adopted a seven-point resolution outlining its next course of action. One of the key decisions was to prevent employees from attending State and Central government offices from September 11 if the September 10 deadline is not met.
The organisation reiterated on September 9 that it was prepared to proceed with the planned agitation. JFD convenor Jeetendra Ningomba urged the Chief Minister and Home Minister to persuade the Centre to issue an official notification on the 1951-based NRC.
Essential services exempted
The proposed shutdown will not cover several essential departments. The JFD has said health, education, water supply, fire services, electricity and agriculture will remain outside the scope of the boycott.
The organisation has also asked government employees to cooperate with the proposed agitation while continuing to demand that the NRC be updated before census operations resume.
The JFD’s campaign is not limited to government offices. It has said that the public movement will continue through different forms of protest until its demand for a 1951-based NRC is implemented.
Why Manipur NRC is linked to the Census
The demand has gained momentum around the Census 2027 process. The JFD and other groups have been insisting that the NRC should be updated before census activities are conducted in Manipur.
The Centre recently deferred the house-listing exercise in Manipur following requests to address concerns surrounding the NRC and census process. The JFD, however, has argued that postponing only house-listing is not sufficient and has sought deferment of the entire census process, including population enumeration.
The organisation has warned that any attempt to restart house-listing or population enumeration before the NRC is updated will face opposition. Local clubs and Meira Paibi groups have also been urged to continue boycotting census-related activities.
Government says Centre’s approval is needed
The Manipur government has indicated that it cannot independently implement the NRC without approval from the Centre.
Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam told the Assembly that the state government would pursue the matter with the Central Government in line with resolutions adopted by the House. He also said officials were tracing original records connected with the 1951 NRC.
The Assembly had earlier passed resolutions supporting an NRC update. On September 2, 2026, it unanimously reaffirmed its earlier position calling for the NRC to be updated before the Census.
The Home Minister also informed the House that 24,475 illegal immigrants had been detected in Manipur, while 14,992 had been pushed back through diplomatic channels. These figures have added to the debate over documentation, migration and demographic changes in the state.
Demand for a 1951 base year
The JFD argues that using 1951 as the reference year is essential to identify the state’s historical population and address concerns over undocumented migration.
The issue is politically sensitive because citizenship documentation, migration and demographic change are closely linked to questions of identity and representation in Manipur. The proposed 1951 benchmark is also different from the 1971 cut-off used in Assam’s NRC exercise.
For now, the immediate focus is on September 10. If the JFD does not receive the formal assurance it seeks from the Centre, the organisation has said its government office boycott will begin on September 11. With the wider NRC-versus-Census debate still unresolved, the latest announcement could add further pressure on both the Manipur government and the Centre to clarify the timeline and legal framework for the proposed exercise.
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