The Manipur government has appealed to the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) to put its deadline on hold, assuring that its demands for updation of the NRC, 1951, are being taken up seriously.
Government spokesperson Dr. Sapam Ranjan, speaking to the media at his residence on Saturday, said the government was sincere about the memorandum submitted by JFD and was making efforts to implement its demands.
“The government is sincerely trying to put all of them into action,” Dr. Ranjan said.
He noted that conducting the NRC before the Census had been one of JFD’s longstanding demands, adding that the Census in Manipur had already been postponed.
He appealed to JFD to cooperate with the government and allow further efforts to address the issues raised in its memorandum.
“I would like to appeal to the JFD to put the deadline on hold. And then let us all work together for the betterment of our state, for the future of our people, and for the betterment of all sections of society,” he said.
The government spokesperson said the government was aware of the seriousness of the issue and would take up the matter with utmost sincerity. “We are all in the same boat,” he said.
JFD’s memorandum had sought time-bound measures for updation of the NRC, 1951, including strengthening and reconstituting the Manipur State Population Commission, preparation of a comprehensive white paper on illegal migration, and preservation and verification of the original NRC, 1951, and other historical population records.
The organisation also called for a comprehensive State Population Policy by December 2026 and urged the State Government to approach the Centre for updation of the NRC, retaining 1951 as the cut-off year.
JFD had called for some or all of the proposed measures to be initiated by September 2026 and sought complete deferment of the forthcoming population enumeration in Manipur until the NRC updation process is initiated.
The organisation had also appealed to MLAs to support its demands by signing a declaration enclosed with the memorandum.
