No pan-India National Register of Citizens as of now: Centre

‘Discussion on NPR underway with States’

A Correspondent

NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of the countrywide protest against the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Central Government on Tuesday told in the Lok Sabha that till now there is no proposal for any nationwide NRC.

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on Tuesday said, “Till now the Central Government has not taken any decision to prepare the National Register of Citizens (NRC) at the national level.”

Rai said this while responding to a question in the Lok Sabha.

On the preparation National Population Register (NPR), he said that population register is a register containing details of persons usually residing in a village or a rural area or a town or a ward or a demarcated area within a ward in a town or an urban area.

“The NPR was first prepared in 2010 and updated in 2015. In pursuance of Sub - rule (4) of Rule 3 of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, framed under the Citizenship Act, 1955, the Central Government decided to prepare and update the population register during April to September, 2020 throughout the country, except Assam, for collection of information relating to all persons usually residing in village or town,” said Rai.

Replying to a question of compulsory collection of documents while updating the NPR, Rai said that demographic and other particulars of each family and individual are to be updated and collected. “No document is to be collected during the exercise; Aadhaar number is collected voluntarily,” he said.

Further, no verification is done to find individuals whose citizenship is doubtful, during the exercise. The respondent has to provide information for NPR update true to the best of his knowledge and belief. The Centre is in discussion with the States having concerns in regard to the preparation of NPR, the minister added.

Also Read: Rajasthan first State to pass resolution against CAA, NPR & NRC

Also Watch: Watch | First Reaction of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Union Budget 2020