Social worker Shanjoy Ahanthem has expressed grave concern over the Manipur Government’s decision to issue an Extraordinary Gazette Notification on January 2, 2026, initiating steps to conduct the Census in the state. In an exclusive interview with Imphal Times, he described the move as deeply alarming and warned that proceeding with the Census under the present circumstances could have serious implications for Manipur’s future.
Shanjoy Ahanthem stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs has well-established directives which advise against conducting Census operations in states experiencing a breakdown of law and order, internal instability, or unresolved boundary disputes. He further noted that general Census guidelines also caution against undertaking the exercise in areas marked by safety risks, population displacement, and lack of public cooperation, as such conditions are likely to produce unreliable and inaccurate data. According to him, these factors necessitate either extreme caution or outright postponement of the Census.
Referring to the ongoing crisis in Manipur, he pointed out that nearly two years have elapsed since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023, yet the trauma and disruptions caused by the conflict remain largely unresolved. A significant number of people are still unable to return to their villages and homes and continue to live as internally displaced persons in relief camps established by the State Government. He added that the Meitei community continues to face restrictions on movement along national highways, with buffer zones imposed in certain areas, preventing free access to their own lands and settlements. Taken together, he said, Manipur continues to function under abnormal and unstable conditions.
In such a fragile environment, Shanjoy Ahanthem cautioned that conducting a Census could provoke fresh unrest and further aggravate the already volatile situation. He drew attention to precedents from other parts of India where Census operations were postponed or conducted only partially due to instability or strong public opposition. He recalled that the Census in Jammu and Kashmir was postponed in 1951 following the tense situation arising from the partition of India and Pakistan, and again could not be conducted in 1991 due to widespread militancy and terrorism.
He also cited the example of Arunachal Pradesh, which was then known as the North East Frontier Agency, where the Census in 1961 was carried out only partially. Similarly, in Assam, public agitation over the issue of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh led to the postponement of the Census in 1981, which was eventually conducted later. In Nagaland, he noted, Census operations in 2001 were disrupted following a boycott by Naga organisations after the House Listing and Village Survey were initiated.
Drawing parallels with Manipur, Shanjoy Ahanthem asserted that unless a National Register of Citizens is first conducted to clearly identify and segregate illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh, holding a Census in the state would not be feasible or credible. He further observed that, under normal circumstances, the State Assembly or the State Government could pass a resolution seeking postponement of the Census and forward it to the Government of India. However, in the absence of a popular government in Manipur at present, there is no clear institutional mechanism to pursue such a course.
He said that intellectuals, academicians, and civil society organisations across the state, after extensive engagement with the public, have taken a firm stand that the Census scheduled for 2026–27 should not be conducted in Manipur without first completing the NRC process. According to him, there is a strong sentiment that proceeding with the Census without addressing the issue of illegal immigration would be unacceptable and could lead to widespread public protests, with potentially far-reaching consequences for the state.
Social worker Shanjoy Ahanthem appealed to the people of Manipur, as well as to intellectuals and social organisations, to treat the issue with utmost seriousness and to act collectively in the larger interest of the land and its indigenous people.