Inquiries by activists under the Right to Information Act (RTI) have revealed that the Madhya Pradesh Govt will begin the Census house listing process and the NPR exercise together from May 1, 2020 and conclude this by June 14, 2020. This is despite some widespread protests in the state! Replies to the RTI application have revealed a quiet dove-tailing of the Census and NPR operations in Madhya Pradesh, something that was feared by the Citizens for Justice and Peace, weeks ago.
While they are ‘no NPR related questions’ even in central notification on Census,’ the fact that the NPR Rules of 2003 give the unbridled power to a lower level official to declare any person a ‘Dountful Citizen’ renders the exercise both dangerous and sinister. In Karnataka however, the Circular to the education department has specifically stated that both house-listing for the Census and the Updation of the NPR shall happen simultaneously.
Both responses to the RTI queries related to the Census 2021 and NPR 2020 in Madhya Pradesh may be seen here.
