The first phase of the Census slated to start on 1 September 2026 has been stalled in Manipur as enumerator training was stopped following local protests.
Key Developments
- Enumerators’ training suspended after civil‑society groups demanded a NRC be conducted before the Census.
- The Manipur High Court has taken up petitions and is seeking responses from both the State and the Centre.
- The Kuki‑Zo Council opposed any postponement and called for an impartial Census.
- Core concerns include illegal immigration, demographic shifts, displacement, future delimitation, and representation.
Important Facts
• The Census is a constitutional exercise under Article 324A, and its data feed into the 2027 delimitation exercise.
• The demand for an NRC stems from fears that unchecked immigration could alter the ethnic balance in the hill districts.
• Enumerators, the field staff who collect household data, are trained for a month before deployment; their training was halted on 27 August 2026.
Exam Relevance
Understanding the interplay between the Census and the NRC is crucial for GS papers on demography, internal security, and federal‑state relations. The role of the Manipur High Court illustrates judicial intervention in policy disputes, a frequent UPSC topic. The delimitation link underscores how demographic data shape political representation, a key concept for GS2.
Way Forward
• The Centre may consider a phased approach: completing enumerator training while addressing NRC concerns through a separate legal process.
• Dialogue between the State, civil‑society groups, and the Kuki‑Zo Council could help build consensus on an impartial Census.
• The High Court’s decision will likely set a precedent for how demographic exercises are coordinated with citizenship verification in conflict‑prone regions.
• For aspirants, tracking the outcome will provide insight into federal‑state dynamics, the use of data in governance, and the legal safeguards around large‑scale surveys.