Decennial Census delayed further  

• The exercise to update NPR was scheduled to be carried out from April 1 to September 30, 2020
• The Registrar General and Census Commissioner conveyed that the date of freezing of administrative boundaries has been extended till June 30
• The last census was held in 2011

The decennial census exercise has been postponed till September, at least, as the government informed States that the date of freezing of administrative boundaries has been extended till June 30, according to officials in the know of the development.

The housing listing phase of the census and the exercise to update the National Population Register (NPR) were scheduled to be carried out across the country from April 1 to September 30, 2020, but were postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, wrote PTI. In a communication to all states, the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India conveyed that the date of freezing of administrative boundaries has been extended till June 30.

In its letter, the census authorities said it has now been decided by the competent authority to further extend the date of freezing of boundaries, according to the agency.

As per norms, census can be conducted only three months after freezing of boundary limits of administrative units such as districts, sub-districts, tehsils, talukas and police stations. The finalisation of boundaries of administrative units entails covering all jurisdictional changes between two consecutive censuses. The last census was held in 2011.

According to norm, the Census is conducted at least three months after freezing boundaries of districts, sub-districts, tehsils, talukas and police stations.

Notably, the 2024 parliamentary elections are expected in March-April and the completion of the Census would take at least 11 months, making it currently impossible.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM