Manipur Sets 1951 As NRC Base Year

Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam informed the State Legislative Assembly that 1951 will serve as the base year for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur. The State Government will pursue the matter with the Central Government in accordance with resolutions adopted by the House.

The Home Minister stated that physical records from the 1951 NRC are currently being traced. He emphasized that the State Government cannot implement the NRC independently without approval from the Centre. The process must be handled cautiously to avoid the complications faced by Assam, where the NRC remains pending in court and out of the public domain.

The House previously adopted resolutions on August 5, 2022, and March 1, 2024, to push for the implementation. A fresh, unanimous resolution was also passed by the House on September 2, 2026, reaffirming these decisions, and the Manipur State Population Commission has already been constituted.

Addressing a separate question from Opposition MLA Th. Lokeshwar Singh concerning illegal immigration, the Home Minister revealed that a total of 24,475 illegal immigrants have been detected across the border districts of the state so far. This includes 14,370 in Chandel district, 6,545 in Kamjong district, and 3,560 in Tengnoupal district.

Out of the total number detected, 14,992 individuals have been pushed back across the border through diplomatic channels. The Minister provided a district-wise breakdown of the actions taken, including repatriation and sheltering of immigrants in designated government camps.

In Kamjong, 5,378 of the 6,545 immigrants have been repatriated, while the remaining 1,167 are being sheltered in designated government camps. In Tengnoupal, 14 out of 3,560 individuals have been pushed back, with the remaining 3,546 housed in the Sadang village areas along the Indo-Myanmar border.

In Chandel, 9,600 out of 14,370 immigrants have been sent back to Myanmar, while biometric records have been collected for 1,308 of the remaining 4,770, who are currently housed in temporary shelters.

The Home Minister further outlined that the state had previously instituted multi-layered administrative mechanisms to tackle the influx, including a 12-member committee formed on August 7, 2024, under former Minister Awangbow Newmai.

The decision to set 1951 as the NRC base year is significant, as it will help to identify and distinguish between genuine citizens and illegal immigrants in the state. The implementation of the NRC is expected to have a major impact on the demographic and social landscape of Manipur.

The Manipur Government's efforts to tackle the issue of illegal immigration are crucial, given the large number of immigrants detected in the state. The use of diplomatic channels to repatriate immigrants and the establishment of administrative mechanisms to tackle the influx demonstrate the state's commitment to addressing this issue.

In conclusion, the setting of 1951 as the NRC base year in Manipur is an important step towards implementing the NRC in the state. The Manipur Government's efforts to tackle the issue of illegal immigration and implement the NRC are expected to have a significant impact on the state's demographic and social landscape.