Centre Forms High-Level Panel To Study Demographic Changes and Illegal Immigration
The Union government has announced the formation of a high-level committee to examine demographic changes in the country allegedly linked to illegal immigration and what officials described as “unnatural causes”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday.
The move comes months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the issue during his Independence Day address in 2025 and indicated that the Centre would create a dedicated panel to study the matter.
According to the government, the newly formed committee will be headed by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar and will include senior officials and experts from administration, policing and economics.
The members of the panel include former IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, retired IPS officer Balaji Srivastava, Census Commissioner officials and economist Shamika Ravi. The Joint Secretary handling Foreigners-related matters in the Ministry of Home Affairs will serve as the committee’s Member Secretary.
In a statement shared on social media, Amit Shah said demographic shifts caused by infiltration and other factors present a serious challenge for the country’s future and require detailed examination.
He stated that the panel would study abnormal population changes across religious and social groups and recommend planned and time-bound policy measures to address the issue.
According to the Centre, the matter is directly connected to national security, sovereignty, law and order, social stability and the protection of tribal communities in sensitive regions.
Government sources said the committee is expected to conduct extensive assessments and submit recommendations on how to address demographic imbalances and related administrative concerns.
The announcement has already sparked political attention, with the issue of illegal immigration and demographic change remaining a major subject in national political debates ahead of upcoming elections.
