NEW DELHI | Congress MP from Inner Manipur Angomcha Bimol Akoijam has urged the Centre to defer the ongoing Census exercise in Manipur, arguing that continuing displacement, violence and the absence of a credible citizenship verification mechanism could undermine the accuracy and inclusiveness of the enumeration.

In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah dated August 19, Akoijam reiterated his earlier demand that both the Census and any subsequent delimitation exercise in the state be postponed until conditions are conducive to a credible count.

The MP had first raised the issue in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377 on March 30, highlighting concerns over conducting the Census amid the continuing crisis in Manipur. He later wrote to the Centre seeking the establishment of institutional mechanisms for citizenship verification, including an NRC and a Foreigners Tribunal for the state, before the exercise is undertaken.

Akoijam said nearly 60,000 people remain displaced as a result of the prolonged crisis, while violence has also spread to areas that had previously remained relatively unaffected.

He pointed to reported clashes among Scheduled Tribe communities in Ukhrul, Kamjong and Noney districts as another indication of the fragile security situation. Disruptions along the National Highways and difficulties in accessing essential services have further complicated normal life, he said.

According to Akoijam, a Census conducted under such circumstances could fail to accurately capture the population because a large number of displaced people may not be in their usual places of residence. He has therefore called for the exercise to be deferred until normalcy is restored, displaced people are rehabilitated and an institutional framework for verifying citizenship is put in place.

The MP clarified that his demand should not be interpreted as opposition to the Census itself. Instead, he argued that the exercise must be conducted under conditions that ensure its figures are accurate, credible and acceptable to the people of Manipur.

The issue also assumes significance because the Census is expected to have implications for any future delimitation exercise. Akoijam has warned that conducting the enumeration amid displacement and an unsettled security situation could have wider consequences for political representation in the state.

On Thursday, Akoijam addressed the national media at the AICC headquarters at 24 Akbar Road in New Delhi, where he elaborated on his concerns over the Census, the continuing crisis in Manipur, citizenship verification and the possible implications for delimitation.

His latest appeal comes amid continued efforts to restore normalcy in the violence-hit state, where displacement and security concerns remain key challenges to the return of affected communities to their homes.