Mizoram to count refugees separately during Census, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• Mizoram has decided to enumerate refugees temporarily residing in the state as part of the Census 2027, recording their details on a list separate from Indian citizens.
• The state aims to be the first in India to complete the Census 2027 work.
• As of August 20, 38,213 refugees were officially registered, with 29,575 from Myanmar, 6,959 from Manipur, and 1,679 from Bangladesh.
• Biometric enrollment for the Bawm and Chin communities is largely complete, but individuals are not compelled to disclose their Aadhaar numbers.
• People excluded from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will also be counted in the census.

Mizoram Census.jpg

Detailed Insights:

• The Census 2027 will be India's first digital census, conducted in two phases: Houselisting (April-September 2026) and Population Enumeration (February 2027).
• This census will include caste enumeration for the first time since 1931.
• Refugees from Myanmar, primarily the Chin community, began arriving in Mizoram following the military coup in February 2021.
• The Bawm community from Bangladesh sought refuge in Mizoram in November 2022 due to a military offensive.
• Kuki-Zomi people from Manipur fled to Mizoram in May 2023, escaping ethnic conflicts.
• These refugee communities share ethnic ties with Mizoram's dominant Mizo community.
• India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, and lacks a specific national law for refugees.
• Refugee status in India is determined on a case-by-case basis by the Central Government, often with assistance from the UNHCR.
• The separate enumeration aims to gather data for policy formulation without conferring Indian citizenship to the refugees.
• The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an exercise by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to verify and update electoral rolls, ensuring accuracy and inclusivity.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Census of India: A decennial enumeration of the Indian population, providing crucial demographic and socio-economic data for governance and policy planning.
• Refugee: A person who has been forced to leave their country due to persecution, war, or violence, seeking protection in another country.
• Aadhaar: A 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to residents, based on biometric and demographic data.
• Special Intensive Revision (SIR): A rigorous exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update and purify electoral rolls through detailed verification processes.
• 1951 Refugee Convention: A United Nations multilateral treaty that defines who is a refugee and outlines the rights of refugees and the legal obligations of states to protect them.