8. Centre-State Friction: Kerala’s Halt on National Population Register (NPR)

The Kerala government has reaffirmed its decision to block the implementation of the National Population Register (NPR) within the state. This move follows the Union Budget 2026-27 allocation of ₹6,000 crore for Census 2027 and NPR, signaling a renewed intent by the Centre to proceed with the population database alongside the decadal census. • Reiteration of 2019 Stance: Through an extraordinary gazette on February 5, 2026, the Kerala government declared that all NPR activities remain suspended, a policy in effect since December 20, 2019. • Budgetary Trigger: The state\'s move is a direct response to the Union Budget 2026-27, which earmarked ₹6,000 crore for the \'Registrar General of India\' specifically mentioning Census 2027 and NPR. • Federal Discord over CAA-NRC: Kerala’s opposition is rooted in the \'chronology\' concerns where the NPR is viewed as a precursor to the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The state was the first to pass an Assembly resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). • Census vs. NPR Separation: While the state supports the decennial Census—essential for planning and resource allocation—it seeks to decouple it from the NPR to prevent the collection of specific demographic data that could be used for citizenship verification. • Judicial Challenge: Kerala has previously filed an original suit in the Supreme Court under Article 131, challenging the constitutionality of the CAA/NPR framework, asserting that it violates the secular fabric of the Constitution. • Administrative Impact: As the Census 2027 house-listing phase is slated to begin in mid-2026, the refusal of a state to cooperate in the NPR component creates a significant data gap and a potential constitutional stalemate regarding the Centre\'s power to issue directions. Key Definitions • National Population Register (NPR): A database of \'usual residents\' of the country (residing for 6+ months). It is prepared under the Citizenship Act 1955 and Citizenship Rules 2003. It contains both demographic and biometric data. • Usual Resident: For NPR, a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more. • Census: A statutory exercise conducted every 10 years under the Census Act, 1948 to collect statistical data on demography, economy, and literacy. Unlike NPR, Census data is strictly confidential. Constitutional & Legal Provisions • Article 131: Grants the Supreme Court original jurisdiction in disputes between the Government of India and one or more States. Kerala utilized this to challenge the CAA. • Seventh Schedule (Entry 69, Union List): \'Census\' is a subject exclusively under the Union List, meaning the Central Government has the primary power to legislate and conduct it. • Article 256: Mandates that the executive power of every State shall be so exercised as to ensure compliance with the laws made by Parliament. This is the core of the potential \'Constitutional Crisis\' if a state refuses to implement a Central law. • Citizenship Rules, 2003: Rule 3(4) allows the Central Government to decide the date for preparing the Population Register.• Digital Census 2027: The upcoming census will be India\'s first fully digital census, utilizing mobile apps and offering a self-enumeration option. • Financial Stakes: The ₹6,000 crore budget allocation represents a six-fold increase over previous revised estimates, indicating the massive scale of the upcoming 16th Census. Conclusion The friction between Kerala and the Centre highlights a growing trend of \'competitive federalism\' turning into \'confrontational federalism\' over identity-based data collection. While the Centre maintains that NPR is a \'normal administrative activity\' for better targeting of welfare, the lack of trust at the state level poses a challenge to the integrity of national databases. UPSC Relevance • GS Paper II: Federal structure, Centre-State relations (Article 256, 131), and the tension between Union subjects and State cooperation. • GS Paper II: Governance and the use of technology/databases (NPR/Census) in policy formulation and welfare delivery. • Prelims Factor: Differences between the Census Act 1948 and Citizenship Act 1955; the role of the Registrar General of India (RGI).