The Centre has deferred the Census 2027 operations in Manipur, which were scheduled to begin on September 1, following sustained protests and demands from Meitei and Naga organisations that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be implemented before the Census and delimitation exercises.
The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday to assess the prevailing situation in Manipur. The meeting was attended by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and other senior officials.
According to the Manipur government, the meeting discussed in detail the demand to defer the Census until the NRC is implemented in the state. The Centre agreed to defer the proposed Census 2027 exercise, taking into consideration the “feelings and aspirations” of the people of Manipur.
Following the meeting, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and other central leaders for considering the concerns of the people. He also expressed gratitude to BJP national president Nitin Nabin for his continued support on the issue.
The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of leaders from 14 civil society organisations and a delegation of BJP MLAs who had recently travelled to New Delhi to seek implementation of the NRC in Manipur. Singh said their continued engagement with central leaders and officials contributed to the Centre’s decision.
He reiterated that both the Union and Manipur governments remained committed to addressing the aspirations and concerns of the people.
At the same time, Singh appealed to civil society organisations to avoid bandhs and general strikes, saying such measures could cause hardship to ordinary people. He urged organisations to pursue their demands through dialogue and cooperate with the administration in addressing the state’s socio-political challenges.
The Centre’s announcement came shortly after the United Naga Council, the apex Naga organisation in Manipur, directed the presidents of Naga tribes and organisations to ensure that villagers did not cooperate with government officials assigned to conduct the Census.
Meanwhile, the Meitei civil society and student-led Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation had called for a 24-hour shutdown beginning at midnight on August 31. The campaign has been demanding that the NRC be updated before Census 2027 and any delimitation exercise.
The campaign had earlier organised large-scale protests, particularly in the Imphal Valley, from midnight on August 17. A 48-hour shutdown on August 18 and 19 severely affected normal life across several areas. Student and youth organisations, women’s groups, including Meira Paibis, and various civil society organisations supported the agitation.
The Education Department subsequently announced the closure of educational institutions across the state for three days from August 20, citing the prevailing law and order situation.
Several district administrations in the Imphal Valley had also deferred or cancelled training programmes for Census enumerators and supervisors amid the protests.
The NRC demand, however, has not received support from all communities. The Kuki-Zo Council had earlier described the demand as “premature and unjustified” and welcomed the Census exercise.
Before travelling to New Delhi on Sunday, Chief Minister Singh had said that both the state and Union governments were committed to addressing the concerns of the people. He had also indicated that the NRC issue would be discussed during the upcoming Assembly session beginning September 2.
The deferment of the Census 2027 exercise is expected to provide temporary relief to the administration amid continuing disagreements over the NRC, Census and delimitation processes in the violence-affected state.
