Manipur resolves to implement NRC and set up State Population Commission
In August 2022, the Manipur Legislative Assembly has resolved to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and set up a State Population Commission (SPC). For this, two private proposals have been introduced on the last day of the assembly budget session. Chief Minister N Biren Singh participated in the discussion of these proposals and has given his consent.
The decision has been taken after at least 19 top tribal organizations wrote to the prime minister demanding the implementation of the NRC and other reforms to protect the local people from the "increasing number of non-local residents".
According to the data presented in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, there has been a significant increase in the population of Manipur from the year 1971 to the year 2011, which indicates a strong possibility of influx of non-Indians especially the citizens of Myanmar, mainly the Kuki-Chin community.
In addition to the Kuki-Chin community, pro-NRC groups have identified "Bangladesis" and Myanmarese Muslims who "have occupied the constituency of Jiribam and are spread over the valley areas", as well as Nepalese (Gorkhas), who have "extremely increased" have been identified as "outsiders".
Assam is the only state in the region to begin the exercise of updating the 1951 NRC with March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for citizenship of an individual.
National Register of Citizens
The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a register prepared in respect of each village, showing the houses or holdings sequentially and also containing the details of the number and name of the persons residing in each household. This register was first prepared after the 1951 census of India and has been updated recently.
It has been updated only in Assam so far and the government is planning to update it at the national level as well. It aims to separate 'illegal' immigrants from 'lawful' residents. Its nodal agency is the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, the nodal agency for the 'National Register of Citizens'.