Joint Tribes Council urges NRC before Census and delimitation in Manipur

Manipur's Joint Tribes Council has publicly called for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be finalized ahead of the state's next census and the delimitation of electoral constituencies. The council argued that a definitive citizen list is essential to ensure that demographic data used for the census and constituency boundaries is accurate and free from disputes. In its statement, the council warned that proceeding with the census and delimitation without first resolving citizenship issues could lead to legal challenges and communal tensions. Officials in Manipur have not yet responded to the council's demand, and the timeline for both the NRC and the census remains uncertain. The call adds another layer to the ongoing debate over how citizenship verification should be integrated with India's broader demographic and electoral reforms.