NEW DELHI: A High-Level Committee constituted by the BJP-led Centre to examine demographic changes arising from illegal immigration and other reasons on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and briefed him on its roadmap, including plans to visit States and Union Territories (UTs) to gather first-hand information and engage with stakeholders before finalising its recommendations, officials said.
According to the officials, during the meeting, the committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retired) Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar, informed the Home Minister that it will undertake visits to various States and UTs to assess ground realities through interactions with respective governments and administrations.
It will also hold consultations with ministries of the Union Government to gather feedback on issues related to demographic changes.
A senior MHA official said, "While interacting with the Home Minister, the panel also informed that it has prepared a detailed questionnaire that will be circulated to States and UTs in advance to facilitate informed discussions during the proposed visits."
The exercise is aimed at collecting relevant data beforehand, making the field visits more meaningful, focused and interactive, the panel told the Home Minister.
On his part the Home Minister appreciated the committee’s strategy and work plan and directed Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, wh was present during the meeting, to extend all possible assistance to the panel in its day-to-day functioning as well as during its visits across the country.
He also urged the committee to submit its recommendations at the earliest.
The High-Level Committee was constituted by the Government of India following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of a “High-powered Demography Mission” during his Independence Day address on August 15, 2025. The panel has been tasked with scientifically studying demographic changes occurring in different parts of the country due to illegal immigration and other abnormal reasons, analysing their causes and recommending suitable policy, legislative and administrative measures to address the issue.
The committee is chaired by retired Justice (Retired) Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar. Its members include the Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, former IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, former IPS officer Balaji Srivastava and Dr. Shamika Ravi, a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council.
According to the government, the committee’s mandate is to undertake a scientific assessment of demographic shifts across the country, identify the factors driving such changes and recommend a comprehensive framework to address emerging challenges.
