Manipur seeks 1951 base year for National Register of Citizens exercise

Manipur's Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas informed the State Assembly that authorities have detected 24,475 individuals classified as 'illegal immigrants,' of whom 14,992 have been pushed back across the border into Myanmar. The government's proposal to use 1951 as the base year for the NRC exercise aligns with the methodology adopted during the National Register exercise in Assam. The 1951 Census represents India's first post-independence enumeration and is typically used as a reference point in citizenship verification processes. Govindas did not elaborate on the timeline for implementing the NRC in Manipur or the criteria that would be used to determine eligibility for inclusion in the register. The state has witnessed significant population movements and demographic changes since independence, making the citizenship verification process contentious. The proposed exercise comes amid ongoing communal tensions in Manipur. The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has urged the Centre to proceed with conducting the Census in the state, cautioning against allowing 'politically motivated demands' to delay the exercise. The council's intervention suggests differing perspectives on demographic documentation among various stakeholder groups in the region. Officials have not yet announced formal procedures or implementation dates for the proposed NRC exercise.