New Delhi/Imphal, August 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Centre on Monday decided to defer Census 2027 operations in Manipur amid the prevailing situation in the state, officials said.
The decision followed a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to review the situation in Manipur. The meeting was attended by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and other senior officials.
A senior official in the Chief Minister’s Office said the meeting discussed the demand from people and civil society groups to defer the Census exercise until the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is implemented in the state.
“The meeting agreed to defer the proposed Census exercise 2027 in the state considering the feelings and aspirations of the people of Manipur,” the official said.
Following the meeting, Chief Minister Khemchand Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and other central leaders for considering the concerns of the people of Manipur. He also thanked BJP President Nitin Nabin for his support.
The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of leaders of 14 civil society organisations and a delegation of BJP MLAs who had recently met central leaders in New Delhi seeking updation of the NRC in Manipur before the Census.
Khemchand Singh, however, appealed to civil society organisations to avoid bandhs and general strikes, saying such actions would cause hardship to the public. He called for continued dialogue and cooperation with the administration to address the state’s socio-political challenges.
“The government is for the people and any issues of the state should be consulted with the government for getting a better solution,” he said.
The decision comes after protests organised by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), which began in the Imphal Valley from midnight on August 17 with demands for NRC updation before Census 2027.
A 48-hour shutdown on August 18 and 19 affected normal life, with student and youth groups, women’s organisations, including Meira Paibi groups, and other civil society organisations supporting the agitation. The Education Department subsequently closed all educational institutions for three days from August 20, citing the prevailing law and order situation.
Several district administrations in the Imphal Valley had also deferred or cancelled training programmes for Census enumerators and supervisors amid the protests.
The Chief Minister had earlier assured a student delegation that the NRC issue would be discussed during the forthcoming Assembly session, which is scheduled to begin on September 2.
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