The Manipur High Court has directed that the Census 2027 exercise in the State remain suspended until April 30, 2027, asking the Central government to examine concerns over displaced residents, population records and the accuracy of the proposed census.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice M Sundar and Justice A Guneshwar Sharma directed the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India to consider seven representations and issue a common, reasoned decision by April 30, 2027.
The Court also ordered that the existing notifications keeping the census on hold remain in force without any modification until that date.
“ To put it differently, the census exercise for the State of Manipur will continue to be put on hold/kept in abeyance till 30.04.2027,” the Bench stated.
The suspension will continue for another four weeks after the authorities decide the representations, giving affected parties an opportunity to challenge the decision before the Court.
Displacement and population records at the centre of the dispute
The November 4 judgment was delivered in a public interest litigation filed by the Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA) and the International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA), along with a connected petition filed by Shanta Singh Nahakpam.
The petitioners questioned the feasibility of conducting the census amid the continuing impact of ethnic violence in Manipur, which has left several residents displaced from their homes.
Their concerns centred on the reliability of population data, the identification and enumeration of internally displaced persons, and the consequences of proceeding with the census without resolving these issues.
The proceedings also brought into focus resolutions unanimously adopted by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 5, 2022 and March 1, 2024, calling for the introduction and enforcement of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The petitioners had sought a postponement of the census until their concerns were addressed.
Centre and State had already agreed to defer the exercise
During an earlier hearing on August 31, the Central government informed the High Court that it had decided to postpone the house-listing operations for Census 2027 in Manipur.
The State government also undertook not to begin the exercise scheduled for September 1, 2026.
Following these developments, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner issued notifications on September 5 and October 30 concerning the deferment.
The High Court took note of the existing suspension and the agreement among the parties that the representations should be examined before the census proceeds.
The Bench directed the Census Commissioner to assess the seven representations on their merits and dispose of them through a common, reasoned order.
Public consultations permitted
The Court allowed the petitioners and other individuals or organisations to submit additional representations until November 25, 2026.
The authorities may also conduct public consultations to examine the concerns raised. If they decide against holding such consultations, they must provide reasons for doing so.
The final decision must be communicated to the lawyers representing the petitioners within five working days. It must also be uploaded to the official websites of the Manipur government and the Census Commissioner.
The Bench clarified that parties dissatisfied with the outcome would be free to approach the High Court again. Any such challenge would be considered independently.
While disposing of the petitions, the Court appreciated the balanced approach adopted by the parties and their representatives, noting the wider public and national interest involved in the matter.
The Bench observed that the proceedings had been handled without being reduced to a routine adversarial contest.
Senior Advocate Kh Tarunkumar appeared for the PIL petitioners, while Advocate Hijam Chandrakumar Singh represented the connected petitioner.
Senior Advocate and Deputy Solicitor General Kh Samarjit appeared for the Centre. Senior Advocate and Manipur Advocate General Lenin Hijam represented the State.