Kerala govt rules out NPR implementation, new Census expected next year
Kerala reiterates NPR will not be implemented under any circumstances, clarifies it will not be conducted alongside the upcoming national census
 "Kerala govt rules out NPR implementation, new Census expected next year")
The Kerala government on Friday reaffirmed that the NPR will not be implemented in the state under any circumstances, issuing an order to ensure compliance.
In a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the government said the National Population Register will not be carried out alongside the new census process expected to begin next year.
The General Administration (Protocol) Department had earlier, on Wednesday, issued a notification stating that "all activities connected with the updation of the National Population Register in the state stand suspended with effect from December 20, 2019." The CMO statement noted that the state government had in 2019 already ordered a halt to all steps aimed at implementing the NPR alongside the census.
The census itself was subsequently postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The statement added that recent rumours suggesting the NPR could be conducted along with the upcoming nationwide census prompted the government to reiterate its position, ensuring that the NPR will not be implemented in Kerala under any circumstances.
It also highlighted that the Kerala Assembly was the first in the country to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The government said it had previously filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the central government over the constitutionality of the CAA.
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