Census in Manipur to Remain on Hold Till 30 April 2027, Rules Manipur High Court

Census in Manipur to Remain on Hold Till 30 April 2027, Rules Manipur High Court in Kangleipak Students’ Association v. Union of India

Case: The Kangleipak Students’ Association & Anr v. Union of India & Ors
Citation: 2026:MNHC:259-DB
Date of Judgment: 04 November 2026
Court: High Court of Manipur
Coram: Chief Justice M. Sundar and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma
Proceedings: PIL No. 14 of 2026 with MC (PIL) Nos. 16 and 18 of 2026; WP (C) No. 623 of 2026 with MC (WP(C)) No. 649 of 2026

Court Observation

“To put it differently, the census exercise for the State of Manipur will continue to be put on hold/kept in abeyance till 30.04.2027…”

Summary

The Manipur High Court has directed that the census exercise in the State will continue to be kept in abeyance till 30 April 2027, disposing of a public interest litigation filed by the Kangleipak Students’ Association and the International Peace and Social Advancement and a connected writ petition filed by Shanta Singh Nahakpam. The Court directed the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India to consider seven representations on the issue and dispose of them by a common speaking order.

The Court recorded that the two Gazette notifications issued by the Registrar General and the State’s notification dated 22 March 2026, which put the exercise on hold, shall operate till 30 April 2027 without any rollback or modification. Any person may submit a representation to the Registrar General by 25 November 2026, and the Registrar General may hold public consultations, recording reasons in the speaking order if it does not. After the speaking order is made, the exercise will stay suspended for four more weeks so that aggrieved parties may approach the Court. The Court appreciated the Centre and the State for taking a fair and balanced approach to the matter, observing that it should not be treated like a regular adversarial legal drill.

Key Holdings

  • The census exercise for the State of Manipur, including house-listing operations for Census 2027, will continue to be kept in abeyance till 30 April 2027.
  • The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India must consider the seven representations on the issue and dispose of them by a common speaking order, concluding the exercise by 30 April 2027.
  • The Gazette notifications issued by the Registrar General and the State’s notification dated 22 March 2026 putting the exercise on hold shall operate till that date without any rollback or modification.
  • After the speaking order is made, the census exercise will stay suspended for a further four weeks so that any aggrieved party may approach the Court, which will consider any challenge on its own merits.

Directions Issued

  • The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India shall consider the seven representations and any further representations received by 25 November 2026, and dispose of them by a common speaking order by 30 April 2027.
  • The speaking order shall be served on the petitioners’ counsel within five working days of being made.
  • The census exercise in Manipur shall remain suspended for four weeks after the speaking order is made, so that aggrieved parties may approach the Court.

Background

House-listing operations for Census 2027 were due to begin in Manipur on 1 September 2026. The petitioners challenged a notification dated 7 January 2026 issued by the Registrar General under the Census Act, 1948, and the Census Rules, 1990, and a notification dated 22 March 2026 issued by the State’s Commissioner (Home), seeking postponement of the census pending an update of the National Register of Citizens. On 31 August 2026 the Court recorded undertakings from the Centre and the State that the exercise would be kept in abeyance, and the Registrar General issued further notifications on 5 September and 30 October 2026. The Court has now disposed of the petitions on consent, preserving the petitioners’ right to challenge the speaking order.

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Judgment Link: Read the full judgment (PDF)

Disclaimer: This is a summary prepared for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should refer to the official judgment for the authoritative text.

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