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Kerala issues order to block National Population Register in state after Union Budget allocation

February 07, 2026 5 min read Polity & Governance Social Issues GS2 (Federalism Citizenship Centre-State Relations)
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What Happened

  • The Kerala government issued a formal order blocking the implementation of the National Population Register (NPR) in the state, reaffirming its long-standing opposition.
  • The order was triggered by the Union Budget 2026-27, which allocated Rs 6,000 crore for Census 2027 and NPR under the head "provisions for the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India."
  • Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that the NPR would not be implemented in Kerala under any circumstances, framing it as a measure to protect constitutional values.
  • The Kerala government's position is that the NPR is a precursor to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and could be used for discriminatory purposes.
  • The new Census is expected to begin next year (2027), but the Kerala government has directed that NPR activities shall not be conducted alongside the census enumeration process.

Static Topic Bridges

The National Population Register (NPR) is a register of usual residents of India. It is prepared under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. The legal basis for NPR lies in Section 14A of the Citizenship Act, inserted by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2003, which empowers the Central Government to compulsorily register every citizen of India and issue a national identity card.

  • Section 14A of the Citizenship Act, 1955: Empowers the Central Government to compulsorily register every citizen and maintain a National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC).
  • The Citizenship Rules, 2003 (Rule 3) define "population register" as the register containing details of persons usually residing in a local area.
  • NPR data was first collected in 2010 alongside the houselisting phase of Census 2011 and updated in 2015 through a door-to-door survey.
  • NPR records demographic and biometric details of every usual resident, including both citizens and non-citizens.
  • A "usual resident" is defined as a person who has resided in a local area for the past six months or more, or intends to reside for the next six months or more.
  • The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (under the Ministry of Home Affairs) is responsible for NPR implementation.

Connection to this news: Kerala's order directly challenges the Central Government's authority under Section 14A to implement NPR across all states. The state government views the Rs 6,000 crore Budget allocation as a signal that NPR implementation is imminent alongside Census 2027.

NPR-NRC Linkage and Citizenship Concerns

The Citizenship Rules, 2003 establish a sequential process: NPR data collection leads to the preparation of the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC, commonly called NRC). Under Rule 4, the data collected through NPR is to be verified and scrutinized by local officials, and individuals whose citizenship is "doubtful" may be marked for further investigation. This linkage has made NPR controversial.

  • Rule 4(3) of the 2003 Rules: The Local Registrar shall verify entries in the Population Register by house-to-house enumeration and determine the citizenship status of each individual.
  • Rule 4(4): Persons whose citizenship is doubtful shall be marked and further investigated.
  • The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA), which provides expedited citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, heightened fears that NPR combined with NRC could be used to identify and exclude certain communities.
  • Assam's NRC (completed August 2019) excluded 19.06 lakh persons from the final list, providing a reference point for concerns about a nationwide NRC.
  • Several states (Kerala, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Punjab, Telangana) passed resolutions against NPR/NRC in 2019-2020.

Connection to this news: Kerala's renewed opposition is rooted in the perceived NPR-NRC linkage. By blocking NPR, the state aims to prevent the data collection that could serve as the foundation for an eventual nationwide NRC.

Centre-State Relations and Cooperative Federalism

The implementation of NPR raises questions about the limits of cooperative federalism in India. While citizenship is a Union subject under List I (Entry 17) of the Seventh Schedule, the actual enumeration process requires cooperation from state administrative machinery, including district collectors, tehsildars, and local registrars.

  • Citizenship falls under Entry 17 of the Union List (List I, Seventh Schedule).
  • Census falls under Entry 69 of the Union List.
  • Article 256: The executive power of every state shall be exercised so as to ensure compliance with laws made by Parliament, and the Union executive may give directions to the state.
  • Article 365: If a state fails to comply with Union directions under Article 256, the President may hold that a situation has arisen in which the state government cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution (ground for President's Rule under Article 356).
  • The Supreme Court in S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) laid down strict guidelines for invoking Article 356, requiring it to be used only as a last resort.

Connection to this news: Kerala's order creates a direct Centre-State confrontation. While the Union Government has the constitutional authority to implement NPR under its exclusive powers on citizenship and census, the practical execution depends on state cooperation. This tension exemplifies the challenges of cooperative federalism when policy disagreements arise.

Key Facts & Data

  • Section 14A, Citizenship Act, 1955 (inserted 2003): Legal basis for compulsory citizen registration and NRIC.
  • Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003: Govern NPR preparation.
  • NPR data collection rounds: 2010 (Census 2011 houselisting phase), 2015 (door-to-door update).
  • Union Budget 2026-27 allocation: Rs 6,000 crore for Census 2027 and NPR.
  • Assam NRC (completed August 2019): 19.06 lakh persons excluded from final list.
  • Entry 17, Union List: Citizenship, naturalization, and aliens.
  • Entry 69, Union List: Census.
  • Article 256: Union may direct states to comply with parliamentary laws.
  • S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994): Landmark case on limits of Article 356.