Manipur has seen a sharp escalation of protests through mid-to-late August 2026 demanding that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be updated before the 2027 Census, with the state government ordering the closure of schools and colleges for three days as demonstrations spread across Imphal and beyond. The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) called a 48-hour general strike as part of the agitation, while Meira Paibis — Manipur's prominent grassroots women's torchbearer movement — led midnight torch rallies at multiple locations across the state, and the JFD's Students' Wing separately organised protests disrupting Census-related training sessions.
The protests come as the Census 2027 process has already begun its preliminary phase, with the house-listing exercise's self-enumeration stage starting August 17, 2026, and the main house-listing operation scheduled for September 1 to September 30. Protesters want the NRC — a register intended to formally document citizens and identify undocumented residents — updated and finalised before that head count proceeds, arguing the Census itself risks entrenching an inaccurate population picture if conducted first.
Background
The demand for an NRC-before-Census is not a new one in Manipur, but it has taken on heightened urgency in the context of the state's ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meitei community, concentrated in the Imphal Valley, and Kuki-Zo and other hill tribes, a conflict that has continued since May 2023 and has claimed more than 250 lives and displaced tens of thousands of people, alongside casualties among Union security forces and Manipur police personnel. The violence was originally triggered by a tribal solidarity march opposing the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status, a demand that tribal groups feared would shift the state's political and land-rights balance further in the Meitei community's favour.
At least 14 Meitei civil society organisations have separately petitioned the Union Home Ministry to conduct an NRC before the 2027 Census, arguing it is necessary to "detect and deport" what they describe as illegal immigrants who settled in Manipur after 1951, and framing the exercise as essential to finding a permanent solution to the conflict by identifying who counts as an original inhabitant of the state. Meitei organisations have specifically alleged that unchecked immigration from Myanmar — where the Kuki-Zo community's ethnic kin, the Chin community, reside — has meaningfully altered Manipur's demographic composition in recent years, particularly following Myanmar's own internal conflict, which displaced large numbers of people across the porous India-Myanmar border.
Kuki-Zo and Naga civil society groups, in turn, have expressed strong concern that an NRC exercise conducted in the current climate of ethnic mistrust could be misused to disproportionately target their own communities, given the close historical, familial and ethnic ties between Kuki-Zo residents of Manipur and Chin communities across the Myanmar border — ties that predate the current conflict by generations and are not, tribal groups argue, evidence of illegal immigration in themselves. This is precisely why the NRC issue has become so contested rather than a straightforward administrative matter: the same word, "NRC," carries entirely different meanings and stakes depending on which community in Manipur is asked about it.
Key Details
- Manipur government ordered a 3-day closure of schools and colleges amid escalating protests and law-and-order concerns
- Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) called a 48-hour general strike as part of the agitation
- JFD called for a boycott of state and central government offices, with exemptions carved out for essential services including health, education, water supply and electricity
- Meira Paibis led midnight torch rallies at multiple locations across the state, with thousands of women and local residents participating
- JFD's Students' Wing separately organised a two-day strike and disrupted Census-related training sessions in Imphal
- Census 2027 house-listing self-enumeration phase began August 17, 2026; the main house-listing exercise runs September 1-30, 2026
- At least 14 Meitei civil society organisations have petitioned the Union Home Ministry directly for an NRC before the Census
- The underlying Manipur ethnic conflict, ongoing since May 2023, has claimed 250+ lives and displaced tens of thousands
At a Glance
| Position | Meitei civil society groups | Kuki-Zo and Naga civil society groups |
|---|---|---|
| Stance on NRC-before-Census | Support, see it as necessary first step | Concerned about potential misuse against their communities |
| Stated rationale | Detect and deport post-1951 illegal immigrants | Ethnic ties to Chin community in Myanmar are historic, not evidence of illegal immigration |
| Key demand | NRC finalised before Census 2027 proceeds | Caution against NRC being conducted amid current ethnic mistrust |
| Connection to 2023 conflict | See NRC as a path to resolving demographic disputes underlying the conflict | See NRC risk as an extension of the same conflict's pressures on their communities |
Local Impact
The three-day closure of schools and colleges directly disrupted academic schedules across the state at a time when the education sector in Manipur has already faced repeated interruptions since the 2023 conflict began, compounding learning losses for students in both valley and hill districts. The 48-hour general strike and the office boycott called by JFD, even with essential services exempted, affected the routine functioning of state and central government offices in Imphal and other towns, with knock-on effects for residents needing to access government services during the strike period.
More broadly, the protests are unfolding at a moment when the Census 2027 process itself has already begun on the ground, meaning the disruption of training sessions and enumerator preparation in Imphal could have practical consequences for how smoothly the actual head-count exercise proceeds in September, regardless of how the NRC debate is ultimately resolved.
What Happens Next
With the Census 2027 main house-listing exercise scheduled to begin September 1, the central question is whether the Union government will make any concession — such as a firm NRC timeline or an assurance addressing tribal groups' concerns — before that date, or whether the Census will proceed on schedule despite the ongoing protests. Given that Meitei organisations have taken their demand directly to the Union Home Ministry, any resolution is likely to be shaped at the central government level rather than by the Manipur state government alone. Continued Meira Paibi torch rallies and further JFD-called strikes appear likely in the near term if no clear response is forthcoming before the September house-listing exercise begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'No NRC, No Census' protest in Manipur about?
It is an agitation, led primarily by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) and supported by Meira Paibis and student groups, demanding that the National Register of Citizens be updated and finalised in Manipur before the 2027 Census is conducted.
When does the Census 2027 process begin in Manipur?
The house-listing phase's self-enumeration stage began August 17, 2026, with the main house-listing exercise scheduled to run from September 1 to September 30, 2026.
Why do Meitei groups want an NRC before the Census?
At least 14 Meitei civil society organisations argue an NRC is needed to detect and deport people they describe as illegal immigrants who settled in Manipur after 1951, framing it as necessary to resolving demographic disputes underlying the state's ongoing ethnic conflict.
Why are Kuki-Zo and Naga groups concerned about the NRC demand?
Tribal civil society groups fear an NRC conducted amid the current climate of ethnic mistrust could be misused to disproportionately target their communities, given the historic ethnic ties between Kuki-Zo residents and the Chin community across the Myanmar border.
Who are the Meira Paibis?
Meira Paibis, meaning "women torchbearers," are a prominent grassroots women's movement in Manipur historically associated with carrying flaming torches during marches and night vigils on issues of local concern.
How has the Manipur government responded to the protests?
The state government ordered a three-day closure of schools and colleges amid escalating protests and growing law-and-order concerns.
How does this connect to the broader Manipur conflict?
The NRC demand is closely tied to the Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict ongoing since May 2023, which has claimed over 250 lives and displaced tens of thousands, with the NRC issue reflecting deeper unresolved disputes over demographic composition and land rights between the two communities.
What has JFD called for besides the general strike?
JFD has called for a boycott of state and central government offices, with essential services such as health, education, water supply and electricity exempted, alongside continued torch rallies.
Sources
Outlook India, Free Press Journal, Organiser, Northeast Live TV, Asianet Newsable, Kashmir Media Service, The Wire, Daily Pioneer, Deccan Herald.