Amid the stalling of the Census process in Manipur, an umbrella body comprising 14 Meitei and Naga civil society organisations (CSOs) has urged the Centre to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state before conducting the Census and delimitation exercises.According to government sources, the issue is likely to be resolved within a week. The indications come even as the self-enumeration process, scheduled to be conducted in Manipur between August 17 and August 31, followed by house-to-house enumeration from September 1 to September 30, is yet to begin in the state.The self-enumeration portal has not been activated despite more than a week having passed since the process was scheduled to commence on August 17. Training of enumerators for the house-to-house survey also remains stalled, with Kuki and Naga CSOs demanding an update of the NRC before the Census exercise begins in Manipur.Representatives of the 14 CSOs met officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi on August 24 to press for an updated NRC in the state. They also met BJP leader Nitin Nabin on the issue.According to sources, the civil society groups were informed that their demand was under consideration and that a resolution could emerge within a few days, allowing house-to-house enumeration to begin from September 1 as scheduled.However, sources familiar with the discussions did not disclose details of the options, if any, presented by Home Ministry officials.The Registrar General of India (RGI) is also yet to take a final call on the issue.The CSOs have been demanding an update of the NRC based on Manipur’s 1951 population records, arguing that it is necessary to identify illegal immigrants who have settled in the state from neighbouring Myanmar.Last month, representatives of the organisations met RGI Mritunjay Kumar Narayan and informed him that the ethnic strife in Manipur could be addressed only by identifying original Indian citizens of the state and distinguishing them from those allegedly residing there illegally.In a memorandum submitted to the government and Manipur Governor AK Bhalla last month, the 14 organisations stated that an updated NRC was essential to identify what they described as “illegal migrants” from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Mizoram who, they alleged, posed a threat to the state’s “original inhabitants”.The organisations claimed that the Meitei, Tangkhul, Kabui, Liangmei, Inpui, Zeme, Rongmei, Mao, Maram and Poumai Naga communities are among the original inhabitants of Manipur.The groups further argued that updating the NRC had become more urgent because several allegedly unauthorised villages had emerged in the state, raising concerns that illegal immigrants from Myanmar had settled in Manipur.Shanta Nahakpam, convener of the 14 CSOs, told mediapersons that the delegation discussed the sequencing of the Census, NRC and delimitation exercises with Home Ministry officials during the August 24 meeting.The delegation later met Rijiju and reiterated its demand that “original Indian citizens” be identified through an updated NRC before any delimitation exercise is undertaken.Nahakpam said the delegation conveyed that delimitation should not be carried out until the identification process is completed.The groups also met Nabin, who heard their concerns, according to Nahakpam.At least 10 representatives from various community organisations, including members of the 14 CSOs, the Kabui Union and the Rongmei Naga Youth Organisation Manipur, travelled to New Delhi last week for consultations with the Centre.