Jeetendra Ningomba, Convenor of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), has called for the suspension of electoral activities in Manipur to focus on identifying alleged illegal immigrants. During an awareness programme linked to the upcoming Census, he emphasized the need for mechanisms to verify undocumented migrants before proceeding with elections. Ningomba expressed concerns that without proper citizenship verification, conducting the Census could lead to demographic discrepancies, referencing irregularities from the 2001 Census, where certain areas showed inconsistent population growth. He highlighted the impact of nearby unrest in Myanmar and other countries on migration into Manipur, insisting that these issues need to be addressed before the Census takes place. JFD Finance Secretary Sunil Karam supported this position, stating that the government should communicate these concerns to the Centre and demand that the Census be delayed until measures like the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are implemented. Despite previous memoranda submitted to the Governor of Manipur, the organization claims their concerns remain unaddressed, reiterating the necessity for verification of citizens prior to the Census in the state.
Imphal