Assembly reaffirms resolutions on NRC before census
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 02 2026: The Manipur Legislative Assembly has reaffirmed the resolutions passed on August 5, 2022 and March 1, 2024 on updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur.

The resolution passed today read, "The House once again reaffirm its previous resolutions passed on 5th August 2022 and 1st March 2024 and to urge the Government of India to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur before conducting census in the interest of the State in particular and the Nation in general" .

Assembly reaffirms resolutions on NRC before census

The eighth session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly was opened today and it reaffirmed the earlier resolutions to urge the Government of India to update the NRC before census.

As the Speaker took up the first agenda of the day, Opposition leader Okram Ibobi raised a point of order asking whether the adjournment motion he submitted earlier would be discussed in the House or not.

Even as O Ibobi repeatedly asked whether the adjournment motion would be discussed or not, Speaker Th Satyabrata did not give any reply.

Giving his statement, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand stated that the State Assembly adopted a resolution on August 5, 2022 to update the NRC and the same resolution was sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs on January 16, 2023 .

The same resolution was reaffirmed in the 2024 session and this resolution of reaffirmation was also sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, he said.

A two-day seminar was organised by the Home Department on August 7 and 8 this year.

The seminar, participated by several CSOs and intellectuals, adopted a recommendation not to conduct census in Manipur if the NRC is not updated.

The same recommendation was also sent to the Centre.

Noting the grievances of Manipur, the Central Government has postponed the census exercise.

This is in line with the people's wish, he said.

The Chief Minister stated that the decision to defer census was adopted at a meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister where the Governor, himself (Khemchand) and other senior officials were also present.

Some people have been commenting that no official order or notification has been received but there may be certain official processes which take time and must be completed before issuing any official notification or order, Khemchand said.

Responding to the Chief Minister's statement, O Ibobi pointed out that the Ministry of Home Affairs has not issued any official notification on deferring census or updating the NRC .

There was also no report of the State Cabinet taking a decision on updating the NRC or forwarding any such decision to the Centre, Ibobi remarked.

Pointing out that the collective desire of the people of Manipur (both hills and valley) is updating the NRC before census, Ibobi sought the Speaker's permission to suspend other businesses of the day so that the issue of NRC can be discussed threadbare.

At this, the Chief Minister intervened and said that the official notification for deferring census would come out in the next couple of days.

Saying that his Government takes the issue of NRC with utmost seriousness, the Chief Minister appealed to the Speaker to make an announcement that the House has agreed to reaffirm the resolutions passed earlier.

Expressing strong objection to the suggestion made by Khemchand, Ibobi asserted that they were asking to update the NRC with 1951 as the base year.

This assertion led to an altercation between Khemchand and Ibobi.

Supporting the adjournment motion, Opposition Members K Ranjit, K Meghachandra, Th Lokeshwor and Surajkumar Okram asserted that the motion was raised in the interest of Manipur and asked the Speaker whether permission will be given to discuss the motion or not.

This was followed by a heated exchange of words between the ruling and Opposition MLAs forcing the Speaker to adjourn the session till 2 pm .

As the session resumed at 2 pm, the Chief Minister tabled a draft resolution "The House once again reaffirm its previous resolutions passed on 5th August 2022 and 1st March 2024 and to urge the Government of India to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur before conducting census in the interest of the State in particular and the Nation in general", and appealed to the House to pass the same resolution.

Opposition Members O Ibobi, K Meghachandra, Th Lokeshwor and K Ranjit suggested that "with base year 1951" be inserted in the resolution.

They maintained that the matter be discussed by suspending Rule 106.K Ranjit said that instead of re-affirming the decision of 2022 and 2024, a new resolution should be adopted.

Explaining the Congress MLA pointed out that on August 5, 2024, the the House adopted the resolution, 'This House unanimously resolves to establish the Population Commission of the State and aslo to introduce and enforce the National Register of Citizens.' On March 1, 2024, the House again adopted the resolution, 'This House Resolves to reaffirm its previous Resolution passed on 5th August, 2022 and also to urge the Government of India to implement National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur in the interest of the State in particular and of the Nation in general' .

After listening to the Opposition Members, Chief Minister Y Khemchand asked all Members of the House to understand the prevailing situation and how far they can speak in the House.

He said that the House shall stick to the people's wish to keep off census operations until the NRC is updated.

Later, the House passed a resolution which read, "The House once again reaffirm its previous resolutions passed on 5th August 2022 and 1st March 2024 and to urge the Government of India to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur before conducting census in the interest of the State in particular and the Nation in general" .