Imphal, April 26: Yumnam Khemchand Singh has indicated that the state government is considering organising a seminar on updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), amid rising demands to carry out the exercise before the Census.
Responding to media queries, the Chief Minister said there is widespread confusion regarding the sequence of the two processes. He noted that, based on the government’s understanding, the Census should precede the NRC, even as several groups continue to advocate for the reverse order.
To address these concerns, the government plans to convene a seminar involving experts from Assam, where the NRC was last updated under the supervision of the Supreme Court of India. Officials from Manipur and members of the academic and intellectual community are also expected to participate.
Singh said the government has already engaged a legal expert from Assam with experience in NRC-related matters. He added that the proposed discussions are expected to clarify technical and legal aspects and may culminate in the preparation of a white paper outlining the framework and steps required for conducting an NRC exercise in the state.
The move comes amid sustained pressure from civil society groups, including the Just Fair Delimitation campaign, which has been advocating for the implementation of NRC prior to the Census. Despite these demands, the state government has already initiated preparatory work for the Census.
