The High Court of Manipur has withheld the Census process scheduled to begin on September 1, along with the house-listing exercise, until further notification, according to 14 CSOs convenor Shanta Nahakpam.
Speaking to reporters after the court hearing, Nahakpam said the decision came in connection with petitions seeking implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur before the Census exercise is carried out.
He said the petitions before the High Court comprised two Public Interest Litigations and one writ petition. The PILs were filed by the Kuki Students’ Association (KSA) and the Indigenous Peoples’ Social Alliance (IPSA), while the writ petition was filed by Nahakpam.
According to him, the petitions reflect a demand that the identification of original Indian citizens through an NRC updation process should be completed before the Census and any subsequent delimitation exercise are undertaken.
Nahakpam said the demand has triggered sustained agitation across Manipur over the past two to three months, including several shutdowns. He also claimed that a number of protesters were injured during the demonstrations.
He said the High Court, during Monday’s hearing, withheld the Census process scheduled to commence from September 1. The house-listing exercise, which had been scheduled to begin on August 17, was also withheld and will remain on hold until further notification from the Registrar General of India, he said.
The detailed order of the High Court is expected to be made available shortly, following which the precise directions and their scope will become clearer.
Meanwhile, the United Naga Council (UNC) has reiterated its opposition to the Census exercise in Manipur until the NRC is implemented.
In a statement issued in continuation of its August 18 public statement titled “NRC First: No Census, No Delimitation Before Implementation of NRC in Manipur”, the UNC directed tribe presidents, presidents of the CNPO and NPO, and the convenor of the JTC to ensure that villagers do not cooperate with government officials assigned to conduct the Census from September 1.
The UNC also called for clear instructions to be issued to villages and the public and for strict monitoring to ensure compliance with the directive throughout the scheduled Census period.
The latest developments come amid continuing political and civil society demands in Manipur for NRC implementation before the Census and delimitation processes.
