Meitei Alliance Seeks Census Delay in Manipur Until Displaced Families Return

Dil Bar Irshad | August 11, 2026 | 07:14 AM IST | Breaking News, India, Politics | Follow on Google News

Meitei Alliance Seeks Census Delay in Manipur Until Displaced Families Return

Imphal, Aug. 11 [VoM News]: The Meitei Alliance has urged the Centre and the Manipur government to defer the Census in the state until all internally displaced persons (IDPs) are able to return to their homes, arguing that the current situation would not provide an accurate picture of the state’s population.

The organisation said the ethnic violence that began in May 2023 forced thousands of families to leave their homes, significantly changing settlement patterns across Manipur. Conducting the Census before rehabilitation is completed, it said, could produce distorted demographic data with long-term administrative and social implications.

The Alliance maintained that displaced residents should first be resettled safely and with dignity before enumeration begins, warning that a Census conducted during displacement may not reflect the state’s pre-conflict population distribution.

Thadou Tribes in Manipur Warn Census Cannot Proceed Without Deletion of ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ from ST List

The demand comes amid broader concerns over electoral records in the state. A recent representation submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer highlighted alleged inconsistencies in draft electoral rolls, including unverifiable voter entries, variations in names, overlapping house numbers and irregular relationship classifications. The submission sought an independent review of voter records to ensure transparency and accuracy.

Ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities have claimed more than 250 lives and displaced over 50,000 people since May 2023.

Meanwhile, the Manipur government has announced that the state’s key National Highway, considered its lifeline, has been reopened for movement by all communities, marking a step toward restoring normalcy.

Dil Bar Irshad

Dil Bar Irshad is a seasoned journalist, hails from Jammu Kashmir's Doda, covers political, social, business stories, index stories.