IMPHAL/UKHRUL: The High Court of Manipur on Monday recorded the Central Government’s decision to postpone the house-listing operation for Census of India 2027 in Manipur and ordered that the exercise, scheduled to commence on September 1, shall remain in abeyance till the next hearing on October 12.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice M. Sundar and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma was hearing a PIL filed by the Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA) and International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA), along with a writ petition filed by Shanta Singh Nahakpam.
During the hearing, the Deputy Solicitor General of India informed the Court that, following discussions, the Central Government had taken a decision to postpone the Census house-listing operation in Manipur.
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Recording the submission, the Court noted that “a decision has been taken to postpone/defer the house listing operations of Census of India, 2027 as regards State of Manipur.”
The Court further recorded that the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India would issue a notification suitably modifying or amending the earlier Census notification. The Bench treated the submission made on behalf of the Central Government as an undertaking.
The State Government also informed the Court that it would not begin the house-listing exercise from September 1.
The order recorded the State’s position that it “will now not commence house listing operation of Census of India, 2027 from tomorrow”, adding that the State notification would be kept in abeyance while awaiting the Central Government’s notification postponing the exercise in Manipur.
Significantly, the High Court directed that the proposed Census exercise would remain on hold until the next hearing.
The Court held that “the house listing operation of Census of India, 2027 scheduled to commence tomorrow” shall “be kept in abeyance by State Government until next listing” on October 12, 2026.
The Bench further directed the parties to complete their pleadings during the intervening period and listed the matter for further hearing before the Special Bench at 2 pm on October 12.
The PIL and the writ petition were tagged together by the High Court after the Court found that both matters involved overlapping and common issues.
The petitions concern the Census exercise in Manipur and issues raised over the demand for implementation and updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census process.
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During an earlier hearing, the petitioners drew the Court’s attention to resolutions adopted by the Manipur Legislative Assembly regarding the introduction and enforcement of the NRC. The Court recorded the submission that the Assembly had unanimously adopted an NRC-related resolution on August 5, 2022, which was reiterated through another resolution on March 1, 2024.
On August 28, both the Central and State Governments had sought additional time, informing the Court that the issues raised by the petitioners were being examined “at the highest level” and expressing hope of returning with a “viable answer.”
With Monday’s order, the house-listing operation for Census of India 2027, which was scheduled to begin in Manipur on September 1, will remain in abeyance until October 12, when the High Court will again take up the connected PIL and writ petition.
