The work for the population census is underway in India.
In the report issued by the Union Home Ministry on the 16th of last month, for the population census work
> teachers in educational institutions run by the government, local bodies, government-aided or unaided private institutions, associations, or trusts,

> Clerks or any officers working in the Central Government, State Government, local bodies, or other institutions (including public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, banks, companies, associations, and trusts),
> and persons whom the State Government or Union Territory administration considers eligible
were stated to be able to participate.
This is the Census (Amendment) Rules, 2026, issued by amending the Census Rules, 1990.
Protesting this amendment, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), M.A. Baby, has written a letter to the President...
What is the problem with this amendment?
The amendments issued under the name ‘Census (Amendment) Rules, 2026’ greatly expand the range of people who can be appointed as enumerators.
This raises questions about the criteria for selecting individuals, the impartiality of those appointed, and the safeguards against political interference.
Without clearly defined criteria or transparent safeguard procedures,
this discretionary power granted to state governments and Union Territory administrations,
creates a greater possibility of appointments being made for self-serving and political reasons.

People will hesitate...
A census involves collecting detailed personal information from every household and every individual.
People will hesitate to share such information with people they do not trust.
In the current political climate, the fear that the information they provide may be used to profile them politically, target specific communities, and question their citizenship
or exclude them from their legitimate rights and privileges is entirely justified.
In particular, appointing private individuals who have political ties to the ruling side would undermine the credibility of the entire exercise.
Personal information...
In the application form announced for the second phase of the 2027 census, information such as parents’ religion, bank account details,
Aadhaar and other identity cards, passport, and mobile phone number, along with various other personal details, have been sought.
This further heightens concern. The collection of such personal details should be stopped immediately.
The census is a national task belonging to the people of India.
CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby has written a letter to the Hon’ble President of India, seeking intervention for the withdrawal of the amendments to the Census rules. https://t.co/SNlPAd9ii2
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) October 20, 2026
It cannot be allowed to become a tool that serves the political interests of the ruling party or its ideological organizations.
Therefore, in this situation, we request that you, as the constitutional head of the Republic of India, immediately intervene in this matter and urge the Central Government to withdraw these amendments, and
ensure that this survey is conducted in a manner consistent with the principles of the Constitution and the trust of the public," he has noted.
