Kuki-Zo Leadership Reaffirms Call for Union Territory With Legislature, Urges Delimitation Over Premature NRC in Manipur

KalimNews, Sept 3, 2026, Imphal : In a comprehensive joint press conference held at the Press Club of India in New Delhi, the apex umbrella organisations representing Kuki-Zo groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework—the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF)—firmly reiterated their demand for a separate Union Territory with an elected legislature. The leadership underscored that an administrative arrangement framed under Article 239A of the Indian Constitution has become an indispensable requirement rather than a mere bargaining point, arguing that the social, political, and demographic landscape of Manipur has been altered irrevocably since the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023.

Both organisations declared that returning to the pre-May 2023 administrative status quo is no longer feasible or acceptable. According to KNO representative Dr. Seilen Haokip and UPF representative Aaron Kipgen, the sustained physical separation of communities, widespread displacement, and the profound breakdown of mutual trust demonstrate that the existing provincial framework cannot guarantee the safety, customary land rights, or civil protections of the Kuki-Zo populace. The leaders maintained that this proposed constitutional settlement operates strictly within the sovereign framework of India, explicitly clarifying that their pursuit of administrative autonomy does not constitute secessionism.

Concurrently, the tribal leadership expressed strong reservations regarding any proposal to implement or update a National Register of Citizens (NRC) before executing a complete, credible decennial population census. Rejecting arbitrary historical baselines—particularly the proposed 1951 benchmark—the groups noted that remote hill settlements historically faced severe logistical isolation and institutional limitations, which could lead to genuine indigenous citizens being disenfranchised by flawed historical records. They emphasized that allegations concerning undocumented demographic growth and unauthorized immigration must be substantiated exclusively through rigorous, verified nationwide census data and lawful due process, rather than partisan narratives.

The groups also addressed electoral representation, raising urgent questions over the postponement of the census in the state. Supported by statements from Kuki People’s Alliance General Secretary W. L. Hangshing, the leaders criticized calls for an immediate NRC as misplaced priorities, urging the Central Government to conduct long-overdue constituency delimitation based on the 2011 Census. It was noted that Manipur has not undergone a delimitation exercise since 1976, leaving the representation of hill districts stagnant for decades despite clear constitutional provisions.

The leadership further appealed to the Union Government for transparent, time-bound tripartite political negotiations, demanding accountability, impartial investigations into grave human rights violations and acts of gender-based violence committed during the conflict, and comprehensive humanitarian rehabilitation for displaced families in districts such as Kangpokpi. Stressing their enduring commitment to peaceful, lawful, and constitutional dialogue, the KNO and UPF urged both central and state authorities to strictly adhere to the terms of the Suspension of Operations pact, maintain effective joint monitoring protocols, and safeguard designated cadres from arbitrary intimidation while working toward an enduring political resolution. ( With inputs from PTI)