Manipur census deferment has emerged as a key demand ahead of the Manipur Assembly session, with civil society organisations returning from New Delhi expressing confidence that the Centre may postpone the Census exercise in the state within the next few days.
A delegation of 14 civil society organisations (CSOs) and community leaders returned to Imphal on August 28 after a week-long visit to New Delhi. The delegation met Union ministers, political leaders and senior Central government officials to press for postponement of the Census and identification of Indian citizens before population enumeration.
CSOs hopeful of Census deferment
The delegation’s convenor, Santa Nahakpam, said the group held discussions with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, BJP national president Nitin Nabin and officials dealing with security and intelligence matters.
According to Nahakpam, the organisations sought Manipur census deferment until a mechanism is established to identify Indian citizens. They proposed 1951 as the reference year and also sought clarity on whether the National Register of Citizens (NRC) would be implemented in Manipur or whether another legal mechanism would be used to identify foreign nationals.
Nahakpam said the delegation had not received a formal assurance from the Centre. However, he said the discussions had created a strong expectation that the Census could be deferred within two or three days.
The CSOs have also proposed a broad consultation involving the Centre, the state government and representatives of different communities if the Census is postponed. They want such a consultation to examine the reference year, legal procedures and mechanisms for identifying, deleting and deporting foreign nationals.
Census issue reaches the Assembly
The demand comes shortly before the Manipur Assembly session scheduled to begin on September 2. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has already assured student representatives that the government will discuss implementation of the NRC during the session.
The assurance came after students from 10 educational institutions met the chief minister on August 20. The students urged the government to complete the NRC process before the 2027 Census and asked for identification of alleged illegal immigrants through the exercise.
The state government has also publicly supported the demand for an NRC. Government spokespersons said in August that the administration was working to defer the Census and had been pursuing the issue with the Centre. They also recalled that the Manipur Assembly had passed a resolution supporting an NRC in 2022 and reaffirmed the position in 2024.
Why Manipur census deferment is being sought
CSOs have linked their demand to concerns over displacement, security, migration and the accuracy of demographic data. They argue that the continuing impact of the ethnic conflict, including the displacement of thousands of people, could make an immediate enumeration difficult.
Five other civil society organisations, including the All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation, submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the Governor on August 20. They cited continuing law-and-order problems, restrictions on movement and the presence of displaced people in relief camps as reasons why a credible Census could be difficult under present conditions.
The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation has separately led protests demanding that the NRC be updated before the Census. The campaign has argued that citizenship identification should precede population enumeration and future delimitation.
The agitation intensified in August, including a 48-hour shutdown across parts of the state. Census-related training and field preparations have also faced opposition in some areas.
Different views over the Census
The demand for Manipur census deferment is not shared by all groups. The Kuki-Zo Council has opposed calls to postpone the Census until an NRC is conducted. It has argued that an impartial Census is necessary to establish demographic facts and counter competing claims about population patterns in the state.
This difference highlights the sensitive nature of the issue. The Census is a major administrative exercise, while questions involving citizenship, displacement and delimitation carry significant political and constitutional implications.
For the state government, the immediate challenge is to balance demands for citizenship verification with the need to maintain public order and ensure that any future Census is comprehensive and credible.
Centre decision awaited
The 14 CSOs have returned from Delhi without a formal commitment, but their latest statement suggests that a decision could come soon. Their proposed next step is a wider consultation on citizenship identification and the legal framework for addressing migration concerns.
With the Assembly session beginning on September 2, the issue is likely to receive renewed political attention. The outcome of discussions between Imphal and New Delhi could determine whether the Census proceeds as scheduled or is postponed while the government considers the demands raised by civil society groups.
For now, Manipur census deferment remains a strong demand from several organisations, while the final decision rests with the authorities at the Centre. The coming days are expected to be important as the government weighs the competing concerns before the Assembly takes up the NRC issue.
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