India’s first mass surveillance, mass spying and unending census case

 Dr Gopal Krishna

“The forthcoming census could be the first digital census in the history of India. For this monumental and milestone-marking task, I have allocated Rs3,768 crore in the year 2021-22.”

– Nirmala Sitharaman, Union finance minister, 1 February 2021, Lok Sabha 

“Census 2021 and the related field activities have been postponed until further orders. The forthcoming Census is to be the first digital Census and there is a provision for self-enumeration. Mobile Apps for collection of data and a Census portal for management and monitoring of various Census related activities have been developed. The intent of the Government for conducting Census 2021 was notified in Gazette of India on 28th March, 2019. Subsequently, a notification under Citizenship Rules was published in the Gazette of India on 31st July, 2019 to prepare and update the Population Register along with the first phase of Census i.e. House listing and Housing Census. However, due to outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the conduct of Census 2021, updating of National Population Register and the related field activities have been postponed until further orders.”

– Nityanand Rai, Union minister of state in ministry of home affairs, 7 February 2023, Lok Sabha