Several organisations representing the Thadou community have demanded that any proposed census exercise in Manipur be put on hold until the removal of what they described as the “unconstitutional” entry of “Any Kuki Tribes” (AKT) from the Scheduled Tribes list of the state.
In a media statement issued on January 17, Thadou Inpi Manipur, along with the Thadou Students’ Association and Thadou Community International, said that proceeding with a census without first deleting AKT would be a serious mistake. The organisations warned that such a move could increase ethnic tensions and push the state back into large-scale conflict.
The groups said the deletion of AKT must happen before any census or National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise is carried out. They argued that without correcting what they see as a flawed entry in the Scheduled Tribes list, neither the census nor the NRC would serve its real purpose. 
According to the statement, the inclusion of “Any Kuki Tribes” in the Scheduled Tribes list in 2003 was allegedly done for political reasons. The organisations claimed this has created a loophole that allows illegal immigrants and non-indigenous people to obtain residency, constitutional benefits and Scheduled Tribe status in Manipur. They said conducting a census under these conditions would damage the state’s demographic structure and harm the rights of indigenous communities.
Referring to the 2011 Census, the Thadou bodies pointed out that a Kuki population of 28,342 was recorded for the first time after the inclusion of AKT. They alleged that these figures were never properly verified. Any new census conducted before the permanent deletion of AKT, they said, would give official recognition to unverified and possibly illegal populations and affect public policy for many years.
The organisations also stated that the Manipur government had, through Cabinet decisions in 2018, 2023 and 2024, proposed the deletion of AKT from the Scheduled Tribes list. These proposals, they said, were forwarded to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs but are still awaiting comments from the Registrar General of India.
They warned that continued delays, especially in the current law-and-order situation in Manipur’s hill districts, could lead to pressure and wrong classification during census operations. The statement said holding a census under President’s Rule without resolving these concerns could have serious consequences for indigenous communities, including the Thadou people.
The groups further claimed that in the present situation, where armed Kuki militant groups are alleged to have influence in certain areas, it would be impossible to conduct a free and fair census. They alleged that census officials and local residents could face intimidation and forced classification under the “Any Kuki Tribes” category, making any later correction difficult or impossible.
Reiterating their stand, the Thadou organisations said no census should be carried out in Manipur until the “Any Kuki Tribes” entry is completely and permanently removed from the Scheduled Tribes list.
