Census training programme deferred in Manipur’s Imphal West amid protests over NRC demand

Census training programme deferred in Manipur's Imphal West against the backdrop of protests over NRC demand Protestors Wednesday (August 19) burnt effigies of politicians and took out rallies in different parts of Manipur's valley districts on the second day of the 48-hour.

Key points

• The Manipur administration on Wednesday (August 19) unveiled that all educational institutes in the State would remain closed for three days from August 20, citing the "prevailing law-and-order situation".
• The programme was meant for enumerators and supervisors for phase one of Census 2027, he remarked.
• The training programme under the first phase of the census exercise was scheduled to commence on August 20.
• The JFD has additionally unveiled a boycott of all administration offices from Thursday (August 20) as part of its ongoing agitation.

Security deployed as protestors block the road during the 48-hour general strike called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), demanding the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updation before the Census 2027, in Imphal on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Photo Credit: ANI.

For context, the Manipur administration has deferred a training programme for enumerators and supervisors under the Census 2027 in Imphal West district, against the backdrop of protests over NRC demand, an official noted on Thursday (August 20, 2026).

Meanwhile, the training programme under the first phase of the census exercise was scheduled to commence on August 20.

"The training programme scheduled to commence from August 28, 2026, is hereby deferred in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the district, " the official remarked, citing a letter sent to the chief principal census officer of the Directorate of Census Operations.

For context, the programme was meant for enumerators and supervisors for phase one of Census 2027, he remarked.

"Teachers assigned as enumerators and supervisors for the census are facing embarrassment, humiliation and different forms of obstacles while attending training sessions, " remarked the Council of Teachers' Associations (COTA), Manipur.

Protestors on Wednesday (August 19) burnt effigies of politicians and took out rallies in different parts of Manipur's valley districts on the second day of the 48-hour general strike called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) to press for updation of the NRC before the census exercise is conducted in the State.

In practice, the JFD has additionally unveiled a boycott of all administration offices from Thursday (August 20) as part of its ongoing agitation.

Meanwhile, the Manipur administration on Wednesday (August 19) unveiled that all educational institutes in the State would remain closed for three days from August 20, citing the "prevailing law-and-order situation".

Taken together, the developments around census training programme deferred in Manipur's Imphal West amid protests over NRC point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.