Now Reading: Census 2027 questionnaire may be NRC precursor, CPI(M) warns centre
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Census 2027 questionnaire may be NRC precursor, CPI(M) warns centre
The CPI(M) has raised concerns over the 2027 Census questionnaire, arguing that collecting parents' religion and place of birth could allow the government to link data with citizenship and electoral databases, effectively…
The CPI(M) has raised concerns over the 2027 Census questionnaire, arguing that collecting parents' religion and place of birth could allow the government to link data with citizenship and electoral databases, effectively turning the exercise into a precursor to the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Party general secretary MA Baby submitted a memorandum to the Registrar General, while former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused the Centre of introducing the National Population Register through the back door.
The CPI(M) memorandum also flags that the questionnaire seeks Aadhaar, voter ID, passport and mobile numbers, alongside bank account details. The party says these personal identifiers, combined with data on religion, caste and disability, create a risk of linking Census records with other government databases. The Census coincides with a special revision of electoral rolls that has already involved extensive document verification.
The party has demanded an all-party consultation, removal of questions about parents' religion and place of birth, and strict safeguards against linking Census data with Aadhaar or welfare databases. Vijayan questioned Kerala's current UDF government for its silence, noting the previous LDF government had refused NPR activities in the state from 2019.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Census of India has historically collected only basic demographic data such as age, sex, occupation and literacy, without individual identifiers that could link records across databases. The Constitution empowers the central government to conduct the Census under the Census Act of 1948, and the exercise has no statutory connection to citizenship determination. The NPR, created under the Citizenship Act of 1955 and last updated in 2015, collects similar personal details but is explicitly not a citizenship verification exercise. However, the 2019 update of the NPR led to widespread protests in Kerala and West Bengal amid fears it would precede a nationwide NRC. The next delimitation of parliamentary seats, due after the 2021 Census data are finalised, will use population figures that could shift representation away from states with slower population growth, making the Census count politically sensitive. The Registrar General is expected to release the final Census questionnaire before fieldwork begins.
Source: thefederal.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
