What Is The CAA-NPR-NRC Link?[Explainer]

In the wake of country wide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA), Home Minister Amit Shah recently said that there was no connection between National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The remarks came on the same day when Union Cabinet approved allocation of Rs. 3941.35 crores for NPR.In this backdrop, let us see if there is any link between NRC and NPR on the basis of the existing legal framework governing them.What is NPR?NPR means the "National Population Register", which has its base in the rules framed by the Central Government under the Citizenship Act, 1955 in 2003 called the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. Incidentally, these are the same rules which give legal framework for National Register of Indian Citizens as well (more on this below).Rule 2(l) of these Rules define 'Population Register' as :"Population Register means the register containing details of persons usually residing in a village or rural area or town or ward or demarcated area (demarcated by the Registrar General of Citizen Registration) within a ward in a town or urban area;" The Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner describes NPR as "a register of usual residents of the country." An usual resident for the purpose of NPR is a person who has resided in a place for 6 months or more and intends to reside there for a period of another 6 months or more.The following demographic details of every individual were taken for NPR in 2010 :Name of person Relationship to head of household Father's name Mother's name Spouse's name (if married) Sex Date of Birth Marital status Place of birth Nationality (as declared) Present address of usual residence Duration of stay at present address Permanent residential address Occupation/Activity Educational qualification Who prepares the NPR?The preparation of the NPR is carried out under the aegis of the Central Government.Under Rule 3(4) of the 2003 Citizenship Rules, the Central Government can decide the date by which the NPR should be prepared. The data for National Population Register was first collected in 2010 alongwith the houselisting phase of Census of India 2011. The updation of this data was done during 2015 by conducting door to door survey.On July 31, 2019, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued the gazette notification for starting the information collection for NPR throughout the country (except Assam) between April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020. The Registrar General, India acts as the National Registration Authority for NPR. Incidentally, the same officer also functions as the Registrar General of Citizen Registration for NRC.What is the difference between NPR and Census?Census is an exercise carried out under the Census Act, 1948. Census data is based on self-declaration made by the persons without verification.NPR is carried out as per the 2003 Citizenship Rules. Under these Rules, it is compulsory for a person to share the demographic data for preparation of NPR. Therefore, these Rules have a coercive element, as they penalize non-cooperating persons with fines and penalties. Failure to comply with the NPR data collection can expose one to penal consequences under Rule 17.It may be noted that both these processes are carried under the supervision of a single office : the Office of Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner.What is NRC/NRIC?NRC/NRIC means National Register of Indian Citizens.This has its base in Section 14A of the Citizenship Act, which says, among other things, that:The Central Government may compulsorily register every citizen of India and issue national identity card to him.The Central Government may maintain a National Register of Indian Citizens and for that purpose establish a National Registration Authority.Rule 3(1) of the 2003 Rules states that the Registrar General shall establish and maintain the National Register of Indian Citizens.The National Register of Indian Citizens will be divided into sub-parts consisting of the State Register of Indian Citizens, the District Register of Indian Citizens, the Sub-district Register of Indian Citizens and the Local Register of Indian Citizens.Is there any link between NPR and NRC?A bare reading of 2003 Rules reveals that NPR lays the foundation for NRC.The NRC will contain the details of the persons after "due verification made from" the NPR. This is clear from Rule 3(5), which says :"(5) The Local Register of Indian citizens shall contain details of persons after due verification made from the Population Register". For making NRC, the particulars entered in the NPR is first verified by the Local Register of Citizens as per Rule 4(3). Following this verification, the NRC is finalized, after removing 'doubtful citizens'.The Rules give power to the Local Register to mark 'doubtful citizens' after the verification of NPR particulars. Rule 4(4) says: "During...

What Is The CAA-NPR-NRC Link?[Explainer]

Manu Sebastian

A bare reading of 2003 Citizenship Rules reveals that NPR lays the foundation for NRC.

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