With 12 states opposing a proposed exercise to update the National Population Register (NPR), this could be the first time India바카라s decennial census exercise may face some disruption. That바카라s because the house listing phase of the census and NPR update바카라although two separate exercises바카라will be conducted simultaneously across the country from April 1 to September 30. With Telangana becoming the 12th state refusing to allow the NPR exercise in its current format, state assemblies representing almost half the country바카라s population have opposed the planned door-to-door survey to collect a range of personal data.
The Telangana assembly바카라s resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and NPR came close on the heels of the Delhi assembly passing a resolution against NPR and NRC. Both resolutions reflect the concerns also raised by other state governments that the NPR exercise will be the precursor to a nationwide NRC바카라a claim reiterated by BJP leaders on multiple occasions. The country has been witnessing widespread protests against CAA, NRC and NPR since December.
The resolutions should worry the BJP as they come despite Union home minister Amit Shah trying to delink NPR from NRC. Shah assured Parliament that no documents would be necessary for NPR, and no one would be marked 바카라D바카라 (doubtful citizen). In its resolution, the Telangana assembly said CAA should be understood in conjunction with NPR, which is being updated under the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Card) Rules, 2003. 바카라The Ministry of Home Affairs annual report (2018-19) stated that the NPR was the first step towards creation of the NRC,바카라 the resolution adds, besides expressing apprehension that the census operation may get affected by the prevailing confusion. 바카라The conflation of NPR and the census exercise has resulted in endangering the integrity and safety of the census exercise. It is essential that data collection under the Census Act, 1948, is not harmed as a result of the justified mass anxiety against NPR,바카라 it says.
These sentiments are echoed by many states. While Kerala and West Bengal were among the first states to pass resolutions against CAA, four Congress-ruled states바카라Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh바카라also protested against the new law, calling it discriminatory. The BJP바카라s alliance partners in Bihar (JD-U) and Tamil Nadu (AIADMK) also announced their decision to oppose NPR and NRC.
So why are the states against NPR even after the home minister바카라s assurance? The 2003 law under which the NPR exercise is being conducted empowers the local registrar to mark people as 바카라doubtful바카라 at the verification stage. 바카라During the verification process, particulars of such individuals, whose citizenship is doubtful, shall be entered by the local registrar with appropriate remark in the population register for further enquiry and, in case of doubtful citizenship, the individual or the family shall be informed in a specified proforma immediately after the verification process is over,바카라 reads sub-rule 4 of Rule 4 of the 2003 law. While the government has powers to issue a new set of rules, the minister has been silent on bringing in an amendment in this regard. Without any legal backing, verbal assurance doesn바카라t hold water, the states say. The citizenship law states that the NRC would use data collected from the NPR. If those marked 바카라D바카라 fail to furnish documents to prove their citizenship, they would be declared 바카라illegal migrants바카라. 바카라The NPR data can be arbitrarily used along with NRC and CAA for enabling the government to tailor a voter list according to its whim,바카라 says activist Kavita Krishnan.
Legal experts say the stand of the states has been vindicated by the home minister바카라s statement. Former additional solicitor general K.V. Viswanathan says the states will have to wait for formal amendment of the rules. 바카라The minister바카라s statement in Parliament has to be translated into the rules by bringing in amendments. Until the rules are clarified, confusion will prevail. Hence, the NPR process should be suspended all over India for the time being,바카라 says Viswanathan.
Anxiety among the public over a nationwide NRC update has compelled many state governments to stall the NPR process, fearing public hostility towards enumerators. The fear was echoed by a Parliamentary Standing Committee in February, when it warned the Ministry of Home Affairs that the census exercise may be disrupted if there바카라s a lack of consensus between the states and the Centre. Most of these state governments have written to PM Modi expressing their concerns, but they are yet to receive a response.
While governments of Kerala, Punjab, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Pondicherry announced they will not conduct the NPR alongside the census this time, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Bihar are planning to follow the 2010 NPR format instead of the new one. The states object to the new format that includes date and place of birth of one바카라s parents, along with biometric details. These are in addition to name, age, sex, relationship in household, nationality, educational qualifications, occupation, date of birth, birthplace, marital status, residential address and mother tongue.
Kerala, the first state to pass a resolution against CAA, has also suspended NPR updating. Finance minister Thomas Issac says Kerala will not conduct the exercise at any cost and, if the Centre still insists upon it, it could lead to a constitutional crisis. The state has also filed a suit in the Supreme Court under Article 131 of the Constitution.
With twin resolutions against NPR and NRC, Bihar became the first NDA-ruled state to reject both in the present format. As both resolutions were unanimously supported by the 54 BJP MLAs in the assembly, it was seen as the party climbing down from its stated position on the issue. 바카라There is no question of implementing NRC in Bihar. For NPR, we will go by the 2010 format,바카라 says JD-U leader K.C. Tyagi.
The Tamil Nadu government led by BJP ally AIADMK has decided to keep the NPR process in abeyance until the Centre clarifies some issues. Congress-ruled Rajasthan, which passed a resolution against CAA, NRC and NPR, is awaiting a response from the Centre on issues related to NPR. Abhay Kumar, principal secretary of Rajasthan government바카라s cooperative department, says the roadmap for the census will be decided soon.
The Congress-led government of Punjab has said it wouldn바카라t go against the assembly resolution on NPR and NRC. 바카라The Punjab government has decided to conduct the first phase of the census from May 15 to June 29. The decision on NPR will be taken later and no action has been taken so far,바카라 says Sanjay Kumar, additional chief secretary of the state.
In Telangana, many believe the assembly resolution is CM K. Chandrashekar Rao바카라s way of sending a political message to Muslims as local body polls are around the corner. In Andhra Pradesh too, many political observers claim that CM Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy바카라s U-turn on NPR seems to be aimed at wooing Muslims. 바카라Some of the questions in the new NPR format are causing insecurity in the minds of minorities. We have decided to request the central government to revert to the 2010 format,바카라 says Reddy바카라s close confidant, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy.
As the contentious issue of NPR could potentially lead to a constitutional crisis, experts say the Centre has the right to take punitive action against the rebelling states as citizenship laws come under the purview of the central government. According to constitutional expert Subhash Kashyap, states are bound by the Constitution to go by the directives of the Centre. 바카라Under the Constitution, citizenship laws are entirely a Union subject. The states have to obey the Centre바카라s law in this matter. Since NPR is under the 2003 law, it is part of the citizenship exercise, and the state governments have to abide by it. If they do not, they will be violating the Constitution,바카라 says Kashyap.
However, former ASG Viswanathan says states cannot be faulted for stalling NPR as the home minister has made a solemn statement in Parliament this regard. 바카라In an ordinary scenario, when there is a parliamentary law, the states cannot protest and can only go to court. In this scenario, as there is a statement from the home minister, there is good ground for what the states have said. There cannot be any action against them,바카라 he says.
***
Delhi
Arvind Kejriwal
The AAP-dominated assembly passed a resolution against NPR and NRC. It demanded withdrawal of NPR, but also requested the Centre to stick to the 2010 format if it carries out the exercise. The move may come as a morale booster to Muslims protesting against CAA.
Madhya Pradesh
Kamal Nath
The Congress-ruled state passed a resolution against CAA. No NPR will be conducted in the state.
Rajasthan
Ashok Gehlot
The Congress-ruled state passed a resolution against CAA-NRC-NPR.
Punjab
Amarinder SIngh
One of the first Congress-ruled states to pass a resolution against CAA,Punjab has also put NPR on hold.
Kerala
Pinarayi Vijayan
It바카라s the first state whose assembly passed a resolution against CAA. The LDF government has also suspended the NPR exercise and moved the Supreme Court against CAA.
Chhattisgarh
Bhupesh Baghel
The Congress government passed a resolution against CAA, calling it discriminatory, It will not implement NPR.
Pondicherry
Velu Narayanasamy
The Congress-ruled Union territory passed a resolution against CAA-NRC-NPR.
Andhra Pradesh
Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
The state government proposed a resolution against NPR and requested the Centre to revert to the 2010 format. A U-turn ahead of the local body polls, it is perceived as a move to woo the Muslim community. The ruling YSR Congress supported CAA in Parliament.
West Bengal
Mamata Banerjee
The state assembly passed a resolution against CAA and suspended NPR. The CM spearheaded the agitation against CAA-NRC-NPR, in the state. With assembly polls due next year, this contentious issue is expected to dominate Bengal politics.
Bihar
Nitish Kumar
It became the first NDA-ruled state to pass a resolution against NRC-NPR. The state will conduct NPR in the 2010 format. With assembly polls scheduled for later this year, the move is aimed at Muslims and Dalits protesting against the new citizenship law.
Tamil Nadu
E.K. Palaniswami
The ruling AIADMK is the second BJP ally to revolt against the NPR exercise. The government has put NPR on hold until the Centre clarifies some of its concerns on the new questionnaire. Opposition DMK has been putting pressure on the government over the issue.
Telangana
K. C. Rao
The assembly passed a resolution against CAA-NRC-NPR. The move comes ahead of the local body elections, aimed at the Muslim community, which constitutes 13 per cent of the population. There바카라s also pressure from coalition partner, Asaduddin Owaisi바카라s AIMIM.
