Manipur valley districts face disruption on second day of strike demanding NRC before census

Normal life was affected in Manipur's five valley districts on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, as a 48-hour statewide strike called by a students' organisation entered its second day. The strike, demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the upcoming census, led to the closure of markets, educational institutions, and business establishments.

Public transport remained off the roads, though a few private vehicles were seen plying in the valley districts. In parts of Imphal East and Imphal West districts, strike enforcers blocked roads with bamboo poles and stone boulders, staged protests, and put up posters bearing the slogan 'No NRC No Census'.

The three other valley districts — Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur — reported thin attendance at government offices, while educational institutes remained closed. The strike, called by the Campaign for Just and Free Delimitation (JFD), had no effect on hill districts, including Churachandpur.

The JFD is pressing for the implementation of the NRC in Manipur before any census activity, arguing that it is necessary to identify illegal immigrants. The self-enumeration phase of Census 2027 was scheduled to begin on August 17, 2026, with the main house-listing operation set to run from September 1 to September 30.

Tensions around the issue were visible earlier this week. On Sunday, August 16, students staged a demonstration outside the Directorate of Census Operations in Imphal, prompting police to fire tear gas shells to disperse them. The same evening, hundreds of protesters in Imphal East and Imphal West held a torch rally in support of the demand.

Meanwhile, the state government has expressed support for the NRC demand while appealing for a change in the form of protest. Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh said on Tuesday, August 18, "The government has been supporting the NRC demand. The assembly too has previously taken a resolution on the issue and conveyed it to the Centre." The assembly had passed a resolution on the issue in 2022.

"I request all to take another form of agitation instead of resorting to bandhs and blockades as these affect daily wage earners and students," Mr. Singh added. State government spokesperson and MLA Sapam Ranjan Singh also said on Tuesday that a delegation of legislators would go to New Delhi to meet central leaders and apprise them of the people's demand for the NRC before the census.

The strike is scheduled to end on Thursday, August 20. As the state awaits the delegation's effort to take the matter to the Centre, residents in the valley districts continue to bear the brunt of the disruption, while the hill districts remain unaffected. The coming days will show whether the agitation leads to a resolution or further escalation. Authorities have urged all sides to maintain peace and avoid actions that inconvenience ordinary citizens.