Bid to march to CM's bungalow foiled
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 27 2026: A rally demanding total deferment of census activities and updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the population count was stopped by security forces at Palace Compound near the traffic island here today.

The rally, organised under the aegis of the women's wing of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), began from the ground of Citizens' Club at Soibam Leikai.

The protesters had initially planned to meet the Chief Minister and submit their demands concerning the census and NRC.

Bid to march to CM's bungalow foiled

From Soibam Leikai, the rally proceeded towards Nongmeibung and Palace Compound, raising slogans such as "No NRC, No Census", "Update NRC with 1951 as the base year" and "Resettle the IDPs before Census", among others.

However, the protesters were stopped by district police, CRPF and RAF personnel near the traffic island adjacent to the Palace Compound gate.

Even after being stopped, the women protesters continued to raise slogans and sought an audience with the Chief Minister.

As the Chief Minister's Office reportedly declined to meet the protesters, an additional team of security personnel rushed to the area where the protesters had gathered and dispersed them by firing tear gas shells.

Ahead of the rally, JFD women's wing convenor Sougrakpam Sumati said the JFD had submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister listing a series of demands concerning the census and NRC .

She said the notification issued by the Registrar General of India on September 5 regarding deferment of the census in Manipur pertains only to house-listing and not the population count.

One of their key demands is complete deferment of the census exercise in the State, she said.

Sumati said their other demands include updation of the NRC with 1951 as the base year and reconstitution of the Manipur State Population Commission.

Saying that the JFD had urged the Government to make its position clear on the issues by September 30, she added that the rally was organised as part of the campaign.

Notably, the State Legislative Assembly has adopted resolutions to urge the Centre to update the NRC in Manipur on three occasions: August 5, 2022; March 1, 2024 and September 2, 2026 .

The JFD has been urging the State Government to implement these resolutions adopted by the House on the ground.