Politics · India Bureau
Manipur Census postponed until 2027 following Centre's exclusion order
The High Court has confirmed that Manipur will remain excluded from India's census operations until at least April 2027, following a Centre notification issued in late October. The postponement reflects ongoing administrative challenges in the northeastern state.
LSN India ·
Manipur's participation in the nationwide census has been indefinitely deferred, the High Court confirmed, after the Union government issued a formal notification on October 30 excluding the state from the headcount 'till further declaration'. The exclusion effectively suspends enumeration activities in Manipur that would otherwise have been conducted as part of India's regular decennial census cycle.
The postponement marks a significant departure from standard census protocols and underscores the exceptional circumstances prevailing in the state. Officials have indicated that the suspension will remain in effect at minimum through April 2027, though no definitive timeline for resumption has been specified.
Manipur has faced sustained administrative disruptions in recent years, creating conditions deemed unsuitable for conducting a comprehensive population count. The Centre's decision to exclude the state reflects assessments that enumeration could not be conducted reliably under current conditions.
The High Court's acknowledgment of the postponement follows formal proceedings examining the constitutional and administrative implications of the census exclusion. While census operations are typically conducted uniformly across Indian states and union territories, the High Court's ruling establishes legal precedent for state-specific deferrals when circumstances warrant such measures.