Manipur HC puts census in state on hold till April 30, 2027

Guwahati: The Manipur High Court has kept the Census 2027 exercise in the state in abeyance until April 30, 2027, amid concerns over the prevailing situation in Manipur.

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 pass a reasoned order by April 30, 2027. "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 observed.

The judgement, delivered on November 4, came in response to public interest litigations filed by the Kangleipak Students' Association and International Peace and Social Advancement, along with a connected petition filed by Shanta Singh Nahakpam.


The proceedings referred to resolutions unanimously adopted by the Manipur legislative assembly on August 5, 2022, and March 1, 2024, seeking the introduction and implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

On August 31, the Centre informed the high court that it had decided to defer the house-listing operations for Census 2027 in Manipur. Subsequently, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner issued notifications on September 5 and October 30 regarding the postponement. The house-listing exercise was originally scheduled to commence on September 1, 2026.

The bench accordingly directed the Census Commissioner to examine the seven representations on their merits and dispose of them through a common, reasoned order. "Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature of the matter, larger public interest and national interest involved, this court deems it appropriate to place on record its appreciation for all counsel, senior counsel, learned Advocate General and learned DSGI for taking a very fair and balanced approach to the matter without treating the same like a regular adversarial legal drill," the bench added.

The HC also permitted other individuals and organisations, including the petitioners, to submit additional representations until November 25, 2026.

On August 31 this year, the Centre deferred census operations in Manipur amid protests by civil society organisations demanding that the NRC be updated before the census exercise was undertaken.