UKHRUL, August 18, 2026: The United Naga Council (UNC) has reiterated its demand that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be implemented in Manipur before any Census or delimitation exercise is undertaken in the state.
In a press release issued on August 18, the UNC said that “no Census, and no Delimitation” should be conducted in Manipur until the NRC process is completed. The Council said the position was also conveyed in a Joint Memorandum submitted on May 3, 2024, to the Prime Minister through the Governor of Manipur.
The UNC expressed concern over what it described as the continued influx of illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries and other regions, claiming that the trend had contributed to demographic changes and ethnic tensions in the state. It said such developments posed concerns relating to the identity, land, natural resources and socio-political rights of indigenous communities.
The Council has demanded the immediate implementation of the NRC with 1951 as the base year, stating that the exercise should identify and deport illegal immigrants. It has also called for the Census to be withheld until the NRC is completed and a verified database of indigenous peoples and bona-fide citizens is established.
On delimitation, the UNC argued that Assembly constituency boundaries should not be redrawn before completion of the NRC, warning that reliance on what it considers distorted population figures could adversely affect indigenous communities.
The Council further demanded an end to what it termed the random recognition of villages without verification. It called for a fixed cut-off or base year to verify existing villages and to identify what it described as illegal or fake villages.
Reiterating its position that NRC must precede both Census and delimitation, the UNC urged the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to consider and implement its demands, stating that the measures were necessary to safeguard the identity, rights, land and future of indigenous people in Manipur.
The statement was issued by H. James Hau, Information & Publicity Secretary, United Naga Council.
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