Manipur census deferred ahead of September 1 house-listing exercise

Students during a protest rally demanding government to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before initiating census operations in Manipur

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday deferred the census exercise in Manipur, a statement issued by the CM’s Secretariat said.The decision came after Union home minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review the situation in the state, with the demand to defer the census ahead of the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) also discussed.“The meeting agreed to defer the proposed Census exercise in the state considering the feelings and aspirations of the people of Manipur,” the statement said, news agency PTI reported.The census house-listing exercise was scheduled to begin in Manipur from September 1, making the decision to defer it come a day before the planned start.

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, CM Khemchand Singh, Union home secretary Govind Mohan and other senior officials attended the meeting.Earlier today, Organisation Secretary, Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation JFD), Longjam Ratan Kumar said, “We are calling strike to press our demand updation of NRC 1951 before the conducting of census 2027 and we have been demanding updation of NRC 1951 before census 2027 since 8th April 2025 along with the people of Manipur…”