New Delhi: The Government of India is poised to initiate the long-awaited census in 2025, with a target completion date set for 2026, according to a report by India Today on Monday, October 28. This announcement comes after a four-year delay in the census process.
The report states that following the census, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intends to commence the delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies, with the process expected to conclude by 2028. However, India Blooms has not independently verified this information.
The opposition, particularly the Congress party, has been vocal in its demands for a caste-based census, but the government has yet to disclose specific details regarding the census framework. Sources suggest that the upcoming census may include surveys focused on sub-sects within the General, Scheduled Caste, and Scheduled Tribe categories, as well as documenting population distribution among these groups.
Once the census is completed, the government will proceed with the delimitation process to redraw constituencies. This will be followed by the implementation of women’s reservation, with both exercises linked to the census results.
Historically, the delimitation process has been delayed; the 2002 NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee postponed it for 25 years through the 84th Amendment, stating it would occur only after the census figures from 2026 were published, effectively pushing it to be conducted after the 2031 Census.
However, sources indicate that the current government aims to begin the delimitation process by 2027 and complete it within a year, ensuring that the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029 occur post-delimitation and after the enactment of the women’s reservation Bill.
Recently, the tenure of Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan as Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India was extended beyond December 2023 to August 2026.
Despite demands from various groups, including Congress and some ruling NDA allies such as JD(U), Lok Janshakti Party, and Apna Dal, for caste enumeration in the Census, the government has not yet finalized a formula for its inclusion. Notably, the BJP’s ideological parent, the RSS, has supported the idea of a caste census, emphasizing the importance of accurate demographic data.
