Mizoram officials have clarified that all refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering in the state will be included in India’s general census, provided they are present in the state during the enumeration period. Directorate of Census Operations representatives, speaking at a press conference, stressed that the exercise is a population count and not a process for verifying citizenship.
Officials said refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh and IDPs from Manipur will be enumerated if they are staying in rented accommodation or relief camps at the time of enumeration. The Directorate emphasized that inclusion depends on residence during the census window, not on legal or migration status.
Deputy Director Jamil said counting displaced people is essential to accurately reflect how resources are being used and to capture the state’s demographic realities. Citing Home Department figures, officials said Mizoram is hosting more than 28,000 refugees from Myanmar, about 2,300 from Bangladesh, and nearly 7,000 displaced persons from Manipur.
The first phase of the census, focused on house listing and housing data, began on April 1, 2026. A digital self-enumeration facility was available until April 15, 2026; from April 16 to May 15, 2026, enumerators will carry out door-to-door surveys using mobile applications under the canvasser method and will verify online submissions.
The second phase, scheduled for February 2027, will conduct detailed population enumeration to record information such as age, gender, education, language and marital status. Officials also indicated there may be a limited online enumeration window during that phase.
Including refugees and IDPs in the census will influence planning and allocation of services and infrastructure in Mizoram, officials said, because accurate population counts inform policy decisions and resource distribution regardless of respondents’ citizenship status.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/mizoram/story/mizoram-census-to-include-refugees-idps-officials-stress-its-not-linked-to-citizenship-1376483-2026-04-16?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-04-16 13:33:00
