'Will announce very soon': Amit Shah says census to be conducted soon, remains non-committal on caste census

Commemorating the completion of 100 days of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s third term, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in an address to the press, spoke at length about the pressing issue of conducting a nation-wide decadal census, and also the possibility of a caste census.

Joined by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Shah highlighted the NDA government's achievements over its first 100 days, unveiling a booklet that showcased the progress made under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. 

But what took centre stage was Shah’s remarks on the long-awaited census, which has been delayed since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He assured that an announcement regarding the census would be made "very soon" and that full details would be made public once the process begins.

This announcement of the census comes amid growing calls, especially from Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, to conduct a nation-wide enumeration of castes. Shah did not rule out the inclusion of caste data, leaving the possibility open, though he refrained from committing to it outright. 

“We will announce it very soon,” he stated when asked about the census, which has been a vital tool for policy formulation in India since 1881.

The delay in conducting the census has forced government agencies to rely on outdated data from 2011. As the government prepares for this decadal exercise, it is expected to be India’s first-ever digital census, allowing citizens the opportunity to self-enumerate. The entire census and National Population Register (NPR) process is estimated to cost over ₹12,000 crore.

Aside from the census, Shah reiterated the government’s commitment to implementing ‘One Nation, One Election’ during the current term. Since 2014, Prime Minister Modi has been advocating for synchronising elections across the country to streamline the electoral process and reduce costs. Despite questions surrounding support from allies like TDP, Janata Dal-United, and Lok Janshakti Party, Shah stated that the BJP’s coalition remains intact and committed to the reform process.