New Delhi: The displacement of thousands of people following ethnic violence in Manipur and concerns over the accuracy of population records have prompted the Manipur High Court to keep the state’s Census 2027 exercise on hold until 30 April next year, directing the Centre to examine these issues before proceeding with the enumeration.
A division bench of Chief Justice M. Sundar and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma directed the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India to consider seven representations raising concerns over population changes, internally displaced persons (IDPs), village records and demands for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The authority has been asked to examine the representations on their own merits and issue a common, detailed order by 30 April 2027. The court also allowed other individuals and organisations to submit representations by 25 November.
The 4 November order came on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA) and International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA), along with a connected writ petition filed by Shanta Singh Nahakpam.
The petitioners had challenged notifications issued earlier this year by the Centre and the Manipur government concerning the proposed census exercise. They argued that conducting the enumeration without addressing the state’s prevailing demographic and administrative concerns could affect the accuracy of population records.
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Displacement, village records among concerns
The representations placed before the court raised concerns over the enumeration of people displaced by the ethnic conflict, changes in village populations and the creation and recognition of villages.
The petitioners also questioned whether the existing population and village records adequately reflected the changes that had taken place in the state. They sought special arrangements to account for internally displaced persons who had moved away from their original places of residence following the violence.
A representation submitted on 13 April 2026 by Shanta Singh Nahakpam specifically raised concerns over the conduct of the census in conflict-affected regions and sought safeguards for the enumeration of displaced persons. Another representation, submitted by the Joint Committee Opposing Delimitation Exercise in Manipur on 27 May, raised concerns over demographic changes, village records and administrative boundaries.
The demand for updating the NRC before conducting the census also featured in the representations. On 6 July, 14 civil society organisations submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking an update of the NRC 1951 before the 2027 Census.
The proceedings also referred to resolutions unanimously adopted by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on 5 August 2022, and 1 March 2024, seeking the introduction and enforcement of the NRC in the state.
The court did not, however, direct the Centre to implement the NRC, or hold that it was a prerequisite for conducting the census.
Centre, state agree to defer house-listing
The dispute arose after the Registrar General and Census Commissioner issued a notification on 7 January 2026, concerning Census 2027. Subsequently, the Manipur government issued a notification on 22 March, scheduling the commencement of house-listing operations in the state from 1 September.
During the proceedings, the petitioners sought postponement of the exercise until their concerns were addressed. On 31 August, the Centre informed the high court that it had decided to defer the house-listing operations in Manipur scheduled from 1 September.
Taking note of these developments, the high court said the census exercise would remain suspended until 30 April 2027, with the two Centre notifications dated 5 September and 30 October, and the Manipur government notification dated 22 March, continuing to operate without any rollback or modification.
The bench also permitted the authorities to hold public consultations while examining the representations. If the Registrar General decides that such consultations are unnecessary, reasons for not holding them must be recorded in the common order.
The court directed that the common order be given to the petitioners’ lawyers within five working days of its issuance and uploaded on the official websites of the Manipur government and the Registrar General.
The census will also remain on hold for four weeks after the order is issued. This will give the petitioners or anyone else affected by the decision time to approach the high court if they wish to challenge it.
The bench clarified that any subsequent challenge would be considered independently by the high court, while keeping the rights and arguments of all parties open.
The court also appreciated the lawyers representing the petitioners, the Centre and the state government for taking a constructive approach and helping the court arrive at a solution, rather than treating the proceedings as a contest between opposing sides, terming it as a “fair and balanced approach”.
Aditya Edara is a TPSJ alum, currently interning with ThePrint.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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