New Delhi/Imphal, September 1, 2026: The Union government has deferred Census 2027 operations in Manipur, halting the house-listing exercise that had been scheduled to begin on September 1, amid demands from civil society organisations for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be implemented before the Census proceeds.
The decision followed a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on August 31. Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and other senior officials attended the meeting.
Separately, the Manipur High Court directed that Census operations in the state remain deferred until further orders, adding a judicial dimension to the postponement.
Census House-Listing Was Due to Begin September 1
Under the earlier schedule, Manipur's Houselisting and Housing Census — the first phase of Census 2027 — was to run from September 1 to September 30, 2026.
The Manipur government had formally notified the schedule on March 22. It also provided a self-enumeration window from August 17 to August 31, ahead of door-to-door house listing.
That timetable will no longer proceed as originally planned following the Centre's decision.
The postponement is particularly significant because Census 2027 preparations have already advanced across much of the country. The Union Home Ministry told Parliament in August that the first phase had been completed in 31 States and Union Territories, while work in the remaining states was scheduled for completion by September.
Why Was the Census Deferred in Manipur?
The immediate issue is the demand from sections of Manipur's civil society that an NRC exercise should precede the Census.
The issue was discussed during the high-level meeting chaired by Amit Shah. According to the government's account of the meeting, the decision to defer the Census was taken after considering the concerns and aspirations expressed by people in the state.
Several civil society organisations have argued that a citizenship-verification exercise is necessary before the Census.
Some Meitei and Naga organisations have raised concerns about alleged illegal immigration and its potential impact on demographic records. These remain claims and political concerns raised by groups in the state and should not be treated as independently established evidence that Census figures would be distorted.
The Kuki-Zo Council has taken a different position on the demand to link the Census with an NRC exercise, highlighting the divisions surrounding the issue.
Manipur High Court Also Steps In
The postponement is not based solely on the Centre's administrative decision.
The Manipur High Court was hearing petitions concerning the Census when representatives of the Centre informed the court that the Registrar General and Census Commissioner had decided to postpone house-listing operations in the state.
The state government also said it would not begin the exercise on September 1 and would keep its earlier Census notification in abeyance.
A special bench comprising Chief Justice M. Sundar and Justice A. Guneswar Sharma directed that Census operations remain deferred.
The matter is scheduled to be heard again on October 12, 2026.
This means October 12 is currently an important procedural date, but it should not be interpreted as the new starting date for the Census. No replacement Census schedule for Manipur has yet been confirmed.
Chief Minister Welcomes Centre's Decision
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh welcomed the decision and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and other central leaders for responding to concerns raised in Manipur.
He also acknowledged the efforts of leaders from 14 civil society organisations and a delegation of BJP MLAs who had approached the Centre over the NRC demand.
At the same time, Singh urged civil society groups to continue engaging with the government through dialogue rather than bandhs and general strikes as the administration works through the state's socio-political challenges.
Why the Manipur Decision Matters
The Census is India's principal nationwide population-counting exercise and provides data used for governance, planning, welfare programmes and long-term policy decisions.
The Manipur situation, however, involves an additional and politically sensitive question: whether a population enumeration exercise should proceed while sections of society are demanding a separate citizenship-verification mechanism first.
A Census and an NRC are fundamentally different exercises. A Census collects demographic, social and housing information about the population, while an NRC is intended to determine citizenship status under the applicable legal framework.
The controversy therefore goes beyond the Census timetable itself. It reflects wider disputes in Manipur over migration, citizenship, demographic representation and the consequences of the state's prolonged ethnic tensions.
What Happens Next?
For now, Census 2027 house-listing operations in Manipur remain deferred.
The Manipur High Court is due to take up the matter again on October 12. Meanwhile, a fresh or modified notification from the competent authorities will be important in determining when and under what conditions Census operations can resume.
Unless a new schedule is formally announced, any date suggested for restarting the exercise should be treated as unconfirmed.
The key unresolved issue is whether the postponement will remain a temporary administrative measure or become tied to a broader government decision regarding the demand for an NRC in Manipur.
