Census collects population data that is crucial to planning and development, and the exercise is rarely devoid of political intent or consequence. India has conducted the census every 10 years since 1881, but in 2020, the decennial exercise for the 2021 census had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Restrictions related to the pandemic have ceased and the state machinery is ready to start the exercise anytime, but the BJP government at the Centre continues to withhold political clearance.
On 20 September, Home Minister Amit Shah told the Lok Sabha that the census would take place after the 2024 general election. That still avoids any clear mention of the date or year, allowing speculation about the government’s intent. A possible reason why the Centre is eager to delay it until 2024 is the clamour for enumeration of caste, a question that the BJP is trying to evade. A census after 2026 will become the basis of the next delimitation of Lok Sabha seats, which will involve interstate redistribution of representation. The BJP may have incentives to wait until then. In the last few years, changes in the Citizenship Act, and conflict between some states and the Centre regarding the national population register, have further muddied the discussions on census. However, delaying census just for political gain is not a good practice. It has to be conducted at the earliest for the betterment of the nation.