Imphal: Experts and civil society members gathered in Guwahati on July 30, 2026, to debate the 2027 Census. The meeting brought together over 50 participants to discuss the census and its link to delimitation. People’s Census Watch organized the event alongside Axom Nagarik Samaj, Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD)-Manipur, and Human Rights Alert (HRA).
Keynote speaker Prof. GN Devy warned that linking the census to delimitation risks rendering thousands stateless. He pushed for an inclusive 2027 process to block manipulation. Sanjoy Borbora of Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti noted how militarization complicates census efforts in the North East. He demanded a fair, transparent count.
Manipur dominated the discussion. Ashang Kasar of the Native People’s Committee reported a 986.3 percent increase in the Kuki population between 1901 and 2011. He blamed illegal immigration from Burma, now Myanmar, and demanded an updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) before any new census. Activist Santa Nahakpam backed these concerns, citing a 2005 United Committee Manipur book on migration anomalies.
Jeetendra Ningomba of JFD-Manipur linked the 3 May 2023 Manipur crisis to current displacement. He warned that counting non-indigenous inhabitants could trigger unrest. Prof. RK Narendra, a retired demographer, argued that delimitation based on the 2027 Census without an NRC update threatens the state. He noted, "The present census in India is being undertaken solely for the purpose of carrying out delimitation, which, according to him, could trigger major political upheaval and potentially render hundreds of thousands of people stateless."
Other speakers raised regional issues. MC Meetei of the People’s Progressive Alliance Manipur claimed demographic engineering has fueled a proxy war since 1949. Prof. Dolly Kikon discussed the impact of militarization in Nagaland, while Agnes Kharshiing warned that Meghalaya’s marginalized groups face exclusion. Participants ended the session by agreeing to host the next meeting in Manipur.
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