IMPHAL/UKHRUL: The High Court of Manipur has withheld the Census process scheduled to commence from September 1, along with the house-listing exercise, until further notification from the Registrar General of India (RGI), according to 14 CSOs Kangleipak convenor Shanta Nahakpam.
Speaking to reporters after the hearing at the High Court of Manipur on Monday, Nahakpam said the court’s order came in connection with petitions seeking the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the conduct of the Census.
He said two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) and a writ petition were before the court in connection with the issue. The PILs were filed by KSA and IPSA, while the writ petition was filed by Shanta Nahakpam.
According to the 14 CSOs Kangleipak convenor, the petitions were based on the demand that original Indian citizens should first be identified through the NRC process before the Census is conducted and before any subsequent delimitation exercise is undertaken.
Shanta Nahakpam said the NRC-before-Census demand had triggered a prolonged agitation across Manipur over the past two to three months, with several shutdowns being observed and protesters sustaining injuries during the course of the agitation.
He said the Census process was scheduled to begin from September 1, while the house-listing exercise had earlier been ordered to commence from August 17. Both processes have now been withheld, he said, pending further notification from the RGI.
Shanta Nahakpam added that the detailed order of the High Court was expected to be available shortly, which would provide further clarity on the court’s direction.
