Centre to begin census in 2025, Lok Sabha seat delimitation by 2028: Sources
New Delhi: The central government is set to initiate the long-delayed national census in 2025, with the process expected to extend until 2026, according to sources. This development follows a four-year postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it will reportedly update the National Population Register (NPR) as part of the census cycle.
Following the completion of the census, the government plans to conduct delimitation of Lok Sabha seats by 2028. While several opposition parties have advocated for a caste-based census, the government has not yet committed to this, although there may be provisions for sub-sect surveys within the General and SC-ST categories, alongside the usual demographic breakdown.
The call for a caste census has gained momentum, with Congress MP Manickam Tagore criticising the government’s position. Tagore asserted that Prime Minister Modi’s stance on the issue disregards the needs of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities and challenges the representation demands.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah indicated in August that the census would be undertaken "at an appropriate time," and is likely to be conducted entirely digitally, with data collection via a mobile phone application. The upcoming census will be the first since 2011, when India’s population was recorded at over 1.21 billion, with a growth rate of 17.7 percent.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
