The Central Government has officially deferred census operations in Manipur following a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. The decision came in response to widespread public protests, legal interventions, and sustained demands from various civil society groups to prioritize updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before conducting any census exercise.
Key Meeting Details
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High-Level Attendance: The Ministry of Home Affairs meeting included Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, alongside other senior officials.
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Core Decision: The Centre agreed to defer the upcoming census operations, aligning with the sentiments and local aspirations of the state’s population regarding citizenship verification.
Background and Protests
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Demand for NRC: For months, local communities, including 14 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), argued that the state’s original Indian citizens must be identified through an updated NRC before the census is carried out.
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Legal and Political Fronts: The Manipur High Court had previously directed that the house-listing and census process scheduled for September 1 remain withheld pending further notification from the Registrar General of India (RGI).
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Differing Community Stances: While Meitei and Naga groups strongly rejected a census prior to an NRC, the Kuki-Zo Council maintained an opposing position, underscoring the deep ethnic fault lines persisting in the state following the violence that began in 2023.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and central leaders for respecting public sentiment and heeding the delegation’s appeals.
