India prepares for Census 2027 in two phases amid Manipur protests

Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases, beginning with house listing and housing data collection, followed by population enumeration, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said on March 17.

Rai stated that questions for the first phase have already been notified, while those for the second phase will be “finalised and notified in due course” before the start of population enumeration. The second phase is expected to include data on disability, as in previous census exercises.

Preparation for the exercise will include detailed instruction manuals and training toolkits after the questionnaire is finalised. These will be developed in consultation with stakeholders, followed by training sessions for census staff, including enumerators and supervisors.

Enumerators will carry out house-to-house visits within designated blocks to collect data. An optional provision for self-enumeration will also be available, allowing “any member of a household” to submit details through an online portal.

The announcement comes amid unrest in Manipur over the census process. On March 11, people under the banner of Just and Fair Delimitation staged a protest at Ima Market in Imphal, opposing the ongoing exercise.

Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd after tensions escalated, leaving five protesters reportedly injured.

Naorem Wangamba, Assistant Secretary (Organisation) of the group, said they are demanding a “Just and Fair Census” along with a transparent delimitation process. He called for the census to be deferred until illegal immigrants are identified, using 1951 as the base year for verification.