As the census approaches, the Kerala government reiterates its position that there is no national population register

The Kerala government has reiterated that the National Population Register (NPR) will not be implemented in the state “under any circumstances” and issued a fresh order amid talks that the exercise could be carried out alongside the upcoming census.

A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said the government had made it clear that the NPR would not be conducted while the new census process was expected to begin next year. The General Administration Department (Protocol) also issued a notice stating that “all activities related to the update of the National Population Register in the state are suspended with effect from December 20, 2019.”

According to the CMO, in 2019, the state itself had ordered a halt to all steps aimed at implementing the NPR along with the census. The census was later postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government said recent rumors that the NPR might be revived along with the nationwide census once the exercise resumes prompted it to reiterate its position. It said the latest order was issued to ensure that the NPR will not be implemented in the state under any circumstances as part of the new census.

The statement also underlined the state’s previous political position on related citizenship issues. It noted that the Kerala Assembly was the first in the country to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The government had also moved the Supreme Court against the Center citing the unconstitutionality of the CAA.

The clarification comes as preparations for the long-delayed Census gather pace. The 10-year headcount, originally scheduled to take place in 2021, had to be postponed due to the pandemic.

As per a recent notification, the houselisting phase of Census of India 2027 will be conducted between April 1 and September 30, 2026, in all states and Union Territories, for a period of 30 days to be specified by each state and UT. Authorities will also provide “a self-counting option” in the 15 days leading up to the door-to-door exercise.

The national census will be conducted in two phases: the house list and housing census, followed by the population census in February 2027. The upcoming exercise also aims to collect caste data electronically, and will for the first time rely on digital data collection through mobile applications used by many enumerators.

– Ends