Census Act, 1948
Legal Framework
The population census in India is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, and is a central government responsibility.
- Census is a Union subject under Entry 69 of List I (Union List) in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, read with Article 246.
- The Census Act, 1948 was piloted by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as the then Home Minister; it vests exclusive authority to conduct the Census with the Central Government.
- Data confidentiality is guaranteed by the Census Act — individual-level data is not accessible even to courts.
- Census data feeds into delimitation, allocation of central funds (Finance Commission devolution), and reservation reviews.
- The Registrar General of India (RGI), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, administers the Census.
● Tracked since March 30, 2026 · last seen September 10, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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16 Apr '26
Caste Enumeration in Census Confirmed; Religion-Based Reservation Ruled Out
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