Amit Shah announces high-level panel on demographic changes and illegal infiltration

The Centre has constituted a high-level committee to look into the issue of illegal infiltration causing unnatural demographic changes in the country. The announcement was made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday (May 26) who described the issue as a major challenge to the country’s sovereignty and national security.

Announced under PM’s Independence Day proposal

Shah, in a post on X, further stated that the committee was set up as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on August 15 last year, adding that it would be tasked with conducting an assessment across the country on demographic changes related to illegal infiltration and other causes.

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“Infiltration and other reasons causing Unnatural Demographic Change pose a very significant challenge to the present and future of any nation,” stated Shah.

“To address this very challenge, on 15 August 2025, Prime Minister @narendramodi ji had announced the ‘High-Level Committee on Demographic Change’. I am delighted to inform you that the government has now constituted this committee,” he added.

Census Commissioner in panel

Elaborating further, the Home Minister said that it will be chaired by Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar (Retd) and will also include Census Commissioner along with Shri Durga Shankar Mishra (Retd IAS), Shri Balaji Srivastava (Retd IPS), and Dr. Shamika Ravi as members.

“The Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I), Ministry of Home Affairs, will serve as the Member Secretary of this committee,” he added.

Nationwide assessment of demographic shifts

Terming “demographic changes” as a serious issue, the Union Home Minister said that it was not only linked to India’s sovereignty, but also to national security and law and order.

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“Demographic change is a serious issue linked not only to our sovereignty but also to national security, law and order, profound changes in social structure, and the preservation of tribal society,” said Shah.

“This committee will conduct a comprehensive assessment of demographic changes occurring across India due to illegal immigration and other unnatural causes, analyse patterns of abnormal population shifts at the levels of religious and social communities, and present a planned and time-bound solution for the same,” he added.