More than six years after nationwide protests erupted over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), the debate around population data and citizenship verification has resurfaced following a key budgetary decision by the Centre. In the Union Budget for 2026–27, the Government of India has earmarked ₹6,000 crore for the 2027 Census and the National Population Register (NPR), even though no formal notification has yet been issued to initiate or update the NPR.
During the 2019 anti-CAA protests, the NPR was widely viewed as a foundational step towards the creation of a nationwide NRC. Large sections of society feared that the exercise, particularly when seen alongside the CAA, could be used to selectively target certain communities, triggering widespread unrest across the country. In the years following those protests, public discussion around the NPR had largely subsided, creating the impression that the initiative had been shelved. However, the latest budget allocation suggests that the Narendra Modi–led government continues to factor the NPR into its long-term administrative planning.
The allocation was announced in the Union Budget for 2026–27 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. A total of ₹6,000 crore has been provided under the budget head “Census, Survey and Statistics/Registrar General of India (RGI).” This head covers expenditure for the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, various schemes administered by the RGI, preparations for Census 2027, and activities related to the NPR. Of the total amount, ₹218 crore has been earmarked as capital expenditure.
Official budget documents explicitly state that the allocation “includes provisions for the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India and various schemes of RGI including National Population Register (NPR) and expenditure on Census, 2027.” This has drawn attention because, as of now, there is no official notification authorising a fresh NPR exercise or an update of existing data. In July 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs had informed Parliament that no decision had been taken regarding the updation of the NPR.
The NPR is defined as a register of usual residents in India and operates under the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, which were framed under the Citizenship Act, 1955. While the NPR itself does not confer or deny citizenship, its linkage to the NRC lies at the heart of the controversy. Under the 2003 rules, data collected through the NPR can be verified and used as the basis for preparing the National Register of Indian Citizens.
According to the rules, the central government has the authority to notify a date for the preparation of the NPR by collecting demographic details of residents in a specified area. After verification of NPR data, a Local Register of Indian Citizens can be prepared. If, during this verification process, an individual’s citizenship status appears doubtful, their details can be flagged for further inquiry, and the person or family concerned must be informed. The rules also place responsibility on the head of the household to provide accurate information during NPR enumeration, with penalties of up to ₹1,000 for furnishing incorrect details.
Historically, NPR data was first collected in 2010 during the houselisting phase of the 2011 Census. The database was later updated in 2015 through a door-to-door survey. In 2019, the Registrar General of India revived the NPR process through a notification, and data collected in 2015 was subsequently digitised. Following the backlash during the anti-CAA protests, however, the exercise was effectively put on hold.
Opposition parties have consistently argued that a nationwide NRC, built upon NPR data, could disproportionately affect minorities and economically vulnerable groups who may lack documentary proof of citizenship. In 2020, the Union Cabinet had approved ₹3,941.35 crore for the NPR to be conducted alongside the houselisting phase of the Census, but the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic delayed both exercises indefinitely.
The houselisting phase of Census 2027 has now been officially notified and is scheduled to take place from April 1 to September 30, 2026. Notably, this notification does not mention the NPR, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the government’s immediate plans.
Reacting to the fresh allocation, CPI(ML) Liberation leader Clifton D’Rozario said that even without a formal notification, the budgetary provision indicates a possible sequence leading from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to the NPR and eventually the NRC within the current term of the Modi government.
An official from the Ministry of Home Affairs sought to downplay such concerns, stating that no decision has yet been taken to conduct or update the NPR. The official explained that similar allocations have been made in Union Budgets since 2020–21 and that funds are kept available to ensure preparedness in case the government decides to proceed with the exercise in the future.
Despite these assurances, the ₹6,000 crore allocation has revived debate and apprehension over whether the NPR will be rolled out alongside Census preparations, once again bringing the contentious NRC issue back into public and political discourse.
