New Delhi: The Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas Manipur – Kuki Hills, COPTAM-KH, has taken serious note of the press release issued from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Government of Manipur, dated 31 August 2026, claiming that the Union Government has deferred the Census operations in Manipur following a meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister.
The Manipur Government press release states that the Union Government today deferred the Census operations in Manipur and claims the decision was taken after discussions concerning a demand to defer the Census exercise before implementation of the National Register of Citizens.
COPTAM-KH said the press release itself does not reproduce, identify, or annex any formal order, notification, memorandum, gazette notification or written decision of the competent Central Government authority directing such deferment. It is therefore important to distinguish between a political press statement and an official statutory or administrative order.
A press release is not itself an order deferring the Census. The Chief Minister’s Secretariat press release merely reports that a meeting was held and that the meeting agreed to defer the proposed Census exercise. It does not provide the text or reference number of any competent governmental order actually postponing, suspending or altering the Census operations in Manipur. Accordingly, the public should not be asked to treat the press release, by itself, as conclusive proof that the Census has legally been deferred.
If the Census has in fact been deferred, the Union Government should place in the public domain the formal order and the statutory and administrative authority under which the deferment has been made, including its effective date, territorial scope and duration.
COPTAM-KH further stated that Census administration cannot be determined merely by a political demand. The press release itself acknowledges that the demand concerned deferment of the Census before implementation of the NRC. COPTAM-KH reiterated that questions concerning Census, citizenship, NRC and territorial or administrative jurisdiction are legally distinct questions and must not be conflated. A demand raised by political groups or civil society organisations cannot, merely by its political character, determine the legal status of territories or the constitutional and administrative rights of communities residing in them.
On the tribal Hill Areas, COPTAM-KH said this issue is especially significant in relation to the tribal Hill Areas presently administered in Manipur. Historical records relied upon by COPTAM-KH contain references to the distinction between the Valley and Hill Country and, importantly, the White Paper on Indian States, 1950, describes Manipur as being surrounded for the most part by tribal Hill areas in Assam. The historical and constitutional position of these Hill Areas therefore cannot be assumed merely from contemporary political assertions concerning the Valley areas of Manipur.
The representation submitted by COPTAM-KH to the Union Home Minister has specifically requested that historical records, constitutional instruments, census records and administrative records concerning the Hill Areas be independently examined before historical descriptions are used to determine present territorial or administrative jurisdiction.
COPTAM-KH said even if the Central Government has decided to defer a particular Census operation, such deferment must not be interpreted as recognition of any claim concerning the historical territorial extent of Manipur or as prejudicing the existing constitutional and administrative position of the tribal Hill Areas. The representation expressly requested that no Census, citizenship or other administrative exercise concerning the Valley areas should be interpreted or implemented in a manner adversely affecting the constitutionally and administratively recognised status of the tribal Hill Areas presently situated in Manipur.
COPTAM-KH therefore calls upon the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India and the Government of Manipur to clarify publicly whether the Census operations in Manipur have actually been formally deferred, the order and notification number and date by which such deferment has been effected, the competent authority that issued the decision, the statutory and administrative authority under which the decision was taken, whether the deferment applies to the entire State of Manipur or only specified areas or operations, the period for which the Census has been deferred, and whether the decision has any bearing whatsoever upon the territorial, constitutional or administrative status of the tribal Hill Areas.
On historical claims, COPTAM-KH said historical references such as Hill Country of Manipur, Hill Areas of Manipur, Kuki Mountains surrounding Manipur and references to historical influence, suzerainty or administration must be examined in their respective historical and constitutional contexts. Such terminology cannot, without corresponding legal authority, automatically establish present territorial jurisdiction. The Government should therefore ensure that the present administrative position is determined on the basis of constitutional provisions, statutes, notifications, archival records and competent governmental orders, rather than political assertions or selective historical interpretations.
Clarifying its position, COPTAM-KH said it is not opposed to a lawful and properly administered Census. Its concern is that Census-related decisions must be made transparently, under competent legal authority, and without prejudicing the constitutional and administrative position of the tribal Hill Areas. Until the competent authority publishes the formal order establishing the alleged deferment, the statement that the Centre defers Census in Manipur should be treated as a claim requiring official documentary verification, rather than as an independently established legal fact.
COPTAM-KH called upon all concerned authorities to place the relevant official documents in the public domain and to ensure that no Census, NRC or citizenship-related process is used, directly or indirectly, to alter or prejudice territorial and administrative arrangements without lawful constitutional authority.
