Imphal: The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has opposed demands for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be conducted in Manipur before the Census, calling the demand “premature and unjustified”.
In a statement issued on August 23, the KZC welcomed the decennial Census and said verified population data was needed to address competing claims over demographics in the state. It also backed delimitation based on authenticated Census data, saying it would help ensure fair representation.
The Census, originally scheduled for 2021, was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The KZC said the NRC was a national exercise and that neither a community nor a State government could independently determine its timing or implementation in Manipur.
“There is no legitimate basis for any Manipur-based group or the State Government to dictate the timing or implementation of the national NRC exercise,” the council said.
The council said demands for an NRC before the Census were based largely on allegations and speculation concerning the Kuki-Zo community. It said such claims should instead be assessed against official demographic data generated through the Census.
“Demanding an NRC before the completion and publication of Census 2027 results is premature and unjustified,” it said.
The KZC cited the experience of Assam, where the NRC exercise conducted under the Assam Accord of 1985 left around 19 lakh people out of the final list. It said the process remains subject to legal challenges and pending appeals before Foreigners Tribunals.
The council urged those seeking a similar exercise in Manipur to consider the complexity and implications of the Assam NRC process.
It called on all stakeholders to allow the Census to proceed without obstruction and urged them to respect the Central government’s authority over the NRC.
The KZC also appealed against using demographic issues for “communal propaganda or victimisation”.