Centre defers Census 2027 houselisting operations in Manipur state

The Centre has deferred Census 2027 houselisting operations in Manipur until further notice. The MHA's decision follows a strong demand from various groups and a resolution by the Manipur Assembly for an NRC update in the state first.

The Centre on Saturday deferred the houselisting operations for Census 2027 in Manipur, according to an official notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

According to the notification, the Central Government has deferred the houselisting operations for Census 2027 in the state of Manipur "till further declaration". The MHA amended its earlier notification issued on January 7, 2026, regarding the commencement of Census 2027 houselisting operations across all States and Union Territories. As per the amendment, after the words "in all States and Union Territories in India", the phrase "(except the State of Manipur till further declaration)" has been inserted.

Demand for NRC Implementation

The development comes amid a long-standing demand from various groups in Manipur for implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state before the population count.

Earlier, the Manipur Legislative Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution urging the Government of India to update the NRC in Manipur.

The issue of citizenship and identification of residents has remained a key concern in the state, with several civil society groups advocating an updated NRC to address concerns related to alleged illegal immigration and demographic changes.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)