Why in News?

  • On 26 May 2026, the Centre announced the constitution of a high-level committee under retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar to assess demographic changes across India due to illegal immigration and other “unnatural causes.”
  • The announcement was made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on social media platform X.

BACKGROUND

  • On 15 August 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of a high-level committee on demographic change.
  • The current committee has now been formally constituted based on that announcement.
OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMITTEE The committee will:
  • Conduct a comprehensive assessment of demographic changes in India
  • Analyse changes caused by illegal immigration and other unnatural causes
  • Study patterns of abnormal population shifts across religious and social communities
  • Suggest a planned and time-bound solution

COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE

Chairperson
  • Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar (Retired Supreme Court Judge)
Members
  • Census Commissioner
  • Retired IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra
  • Former IPS officer Balaji Srivastava
  • Dr Shamika Ravi
Member Secretary
  • Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I), Ministry of Home Affairs
KEY CONCERNS HIGHLIGHTED According to the Home Minister, demographic change due to infiltration is linked to:
  • National security
  • Sovereignty of the country
  • Law and order
  • Social structure changes
  • Preservation of tribal society
He stated that infiltration and related factors are causing an “unnatural demographic change”, posing a challenge to present and future national stability. ISSUES TO BE STUDIED BY THE COMMITTEE The committee will examine:
  • Demographic changes due to illegal immigration
  • Patterns of abnormal population shifts among religious and social communities
  • Impact on tribal society and land
  • Regional demographic changes, especially in sensitive areas
STATEMENT BY THE PM Referring to his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort, the Prime Minister had stated:
  • There is a “pre-meditated conspiracy” to change India’s demography through illegal infiltration
  • Infiltrators are:
    • Affecting employment of youth
    • Targeting women and daughters
    • Misleading tribal communities
    • Taking over tribal land
  • Demographic changes, especially in border areas, can create a national security crisis
SIGNIFICANCE MENTIONED IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT The government stated that the issue of demographic change is linked to:
  • National security
  • Sovereignty
  • Social structure
  • Tribal welfare
  • Law and order
CONCLUSION The committee has been formed to provide a comprehensive and structured assessment of demographic changes in India due to illegal immigration and other unnatural causes, and to recommend time-bound solutions to address the issue.