New Delhi, May 27 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announced the constitution of the ‘High-Level Committee on Demographic Change’, aimed at examining challenges arising from illegal immigration and other factors contributing to what the government terms as unnatural demographic changes across India.
The committee was first proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address on August 15, 2025, as part of a broader initiative to assess demographic shifts and their implications for the country.
Announcing the development through a post on X, Shah said infiltration and other factors causing unnatural demographic change pose a serious challenge to the present and future of any nation.
The committee will be chaired by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar and will comprise the Census Commissioner, former IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, former IPS officer Balaji Srivastava, and economist Dr Shamika Ravi as members. The Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I) in the Ministry of Home Affairs will serve as the Member Secretary.
According to Shah, the panel will conduct a comprehensive assessment of demographic changes linked to illegal immigration and other unnatural causes across the country. It will study patterns of abnormal population shifts among religious and social communities and recommend structured, time-bound solutions.
The Home Minister emphasised that demographic change is not only linked to national sovereignty and security but also impacts law and order, social structure, and the preservation of tribal communities.
During his Independence Day speech last year, Prime Minister Modi had asserted that the government would not allow infiltrators to occupy tribal lands, describing infiltration as a threat to national security and employment opportunities for youth. He had also announced plans for a high-powered demography mission to address the issue.
