A group of students in Manipur staged a protest outside the Directorate of Census Operations in Imphal on Sunday, demanding that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be implemented in the state before any census exercise is carried out. The demonstration took place a day before the start of the house-listing process for Census 2027.
The protest was organised by the Students’ Wing of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), with demonstrators gathering outside the census directorate at Porompat in Imphal East. Carrying placards and raising slogans, the protesters called for a halt to census-related activities in Manipur until an NRC exercise is conducted.
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The students said an NRC process was necessary to identify people they allege may have entered the state illegally. They argued that population enumeration should not proceed without first addressing concerns surrounding undocumented migration and citizenship.
Security personnel deployed at the location prevented the protesters from entering the government office premises. Tension escalated when some demonstrators reportedly attempted to lock the main entrance. Police subsequently used tear gas to disperse the gathering. According to officials, one protester suffered minor injuries during the police action.
The agitation later extended to other parts of Imphal. Hundreds of people participated in torch rallies across Imphal East and Imphal West during the evening. A significant number of women joined the demonstrations, marching through various localities while holding banners and raising slogans in support of their demand.
The protests came as the Census 2027 process was scheduled to begin with the self-enumeration phase on August 17, while the main house-listing exercise is planned from September 1 to September 30. The census exercise is expected to collect information on households and residents as part of the nationwide population enumeration process.
The student-led campaign has brought renewed attention to demands for an NRC in Manipur and concerns over immigration, population changes and delimitation. Protesters maintained that their demand should be addressed before census activities move forward in the state.
Authorities, meanwhile, have maintained security around the census directorate and other sensitive locations as demonstrations continue. Further developments are expected as the census process progresses and student groups consider their next course of action.
