The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has expressed opposition to demands from various groups in Manipur for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be updated before the upcoming Census, describing such demands as ‘premature and unjustified.’ In a statement, the KZC welcomed the decennial Census initiated by the Centre, which was delayed from 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The council emphasized the need for an impartial Census to establish an accurate picture of Manipur’s demographic composition, particularly amid the ongoing fallout of the Manipur conflict. The KZC reiterated that the NRC is a national exercise and that no provision exists for any community or state government to unilaterally initiate or conduct a separate NRC in a particular state at its own discretion.
It stated that no legitimate basis exists for any Manipur-based group or the State Government to dictate the timing or implementation of the national NRC exercise. According to the KZC, the demand for an NRC before the Census appears to be based largely on unsubstantiated allegations and speculation concerning the Kuki-Zo community. The council argued that such claims should be assessed against credible demographic data, which can be obtained through the Census.
It emphasized that demanding an NRC before the completion and publication of Census 2027 results is premature and unjustified. The KZC also drew attention to the complexities and implications of the Assam NRC, which excluded around 19 lakh people from the final list and remains unresolved due to ongoing legal challenges and pending appeals. The 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.
