NPR questionnaire is being finalized, says Registrar General of India

The Registrar General has proclaimed that the National Citizenship Register (NPR) questionnaire is in the process of 'being completed'. We expect the first phase of the census to begin in 2021. The Registrar General's reply was in response to a request made by 'The Hindu' under the Right to Information Act (RTI).

The RTI sought the expected date of the first phase of the 2021 Census and the update of the NPR, which was scheduled to begin on April 1, 2020.

The census of the first phase of NPR was scheduled to be conducted in April-September. Places like Meghalaya, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and New Delhi Municipal Council were scheduled for the census, which was earlier postponed due to the spread of the covid pandemic. As per the RTI received on November 17, the schedule of NPR has not been finalized yet.

Nearly Thirteen states and union territories protested against the Central Government's National Citizenship Register and the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The NPR is the initial move in preparing the Citizenship Register of Indian Citizens under the Citizenship Act, 2003.

States like West Bengal and Rajasthan were seeking more information from the NPR. Questions such date of birth, place of birth and the native tongue of parent's led to controversy.

The CAA was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019. There was a huge outcry in India against the CAA for legalizing religious discrimination.