Demanding NRC Before Completion and Publication of Census 2027 Results is Premature and Unjustified

The Kuki Zo Council (KZC) on Sunday stated that demanding an NRC before the completion and publication of the Census 2027 results is premature and unjustified.

The Kuki Zo Council called upon all concerned to allow the Census to proceed without obstruction, respect the authority of the Central Government over the NRC, and refrain from using demographic issues as instruments of communal propaganda or victimisation.

Following ongoing demands by certain communities in Manipur for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census, the KZC, in a release issued on Sunday, stated that the council welcomes the decennial Census initiated by the Central Government, which was delayed since 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Given the falsehoods and propaganda surrounding our population and demographic status during the Manipur conflict, an impartial Census is essential to establish facts and dispel unfounded claims,” the release stated.

The KZC also welcomed delimitation to ensure fair representation based on verified demographic data.

Regarding the NRC, the KZC reiterated that it is a national exercise and that there is no provision for any community or state government to unilaterally initiate or conduct a separate NRC in a particular state at its own discretion.

“Accordingly, 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 release stated, adding that the demand for an NRC before the Census appears to be based largely on unsubstantiated allegations and speculation concerning the Kuki Zo community.

“Such claims should be assessed against credible demographic data. Since the Census is the appropriate source for such data, demanding an NRC before the completion and publication of the Census 2027 results is premature and unjustified,” the release added.

The KZC stated that the Assam NRC, conducted pursuant to the Assam Accord of 1985, excluded around 19 lakh people from the final list and could not be brought to finality amid ongoing legal challenges and pending appeals before the Foreigners Tribunals.

“Those demanding a similar exercise in Manipur should first consider its complexity, implications, and consequences,” the KZC said.