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 August 28, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
24 Aug '26
Manipur awaits Delhi decision on Census as Meitei, Naga groups demand NRC first
Internal Security
16 Apr '26
Census will list caste, says Amit Shah, rules out Muslim women's quota
Polity & Governance
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