New Delhi: The Congress has accused the Modi government of opening the door to political interference in Census 2027, with party general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleging that the expansion of the pool of eligible enumerators could benefit thousands of RSS and BJP workers.
In a post on X, Ramesh linked the Centre’s 16 October notification amending the Census Rules, 1990, to an RSS training camp held in Belgaum in July and a Home Ministry-appointed committee’s call for inputs on demographic changes.
“It is clear this is a Rozgar Guarantee Yojana for thousands of RSS/BJP workers,” Ramesh wrote.
“During July 10-12, 2026, the RSS held a big training camp in Belgaum for its cadres on the single-point agenda of Census 2027,” he alleged.
Ramesh also targeted the High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes, set up by the Union Home Ministry on 26 May, which invited public submissions, including from Indian and foreign organisations.
“The only thing high level of this committee is the affiliation of its members to the RSS ecosystem. So we know where these inputs will come from,” he wrote.
“The Census Notification of October 16, 2026 has to be seen in light of the RSS training camp of July 10-12, 2026 and the Demographic Change Committee’s call for inputs on October 14, 2026,” he added.
“This will most certainly further contaminate an already subverted Census. Another institution is being destroyed. Like SIR, the Census will also be dangerously doctored,” Ramesh said, warning that the move could compromise the Census
“There are no limits to the diabolical designs of the PM-HM duo,” he added.
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What the notification says
The Ministry of Home Affairs notification dated 16 October amends the Census Rules, 1990, to allow state governments and Union territory administrations to appoint “any person” they consider suitable to perform enumerator duties.
The existing rules cover teachers from government, local authority and private educational institutions, as well as clerks and officials from government departments, local authorities and specified establishments, including public sector undertakings, banks, companies, societies and trusts.
The amendment expands the pool of people who can be selected for the exercise, giving state and Union territory administrations greater flexibility in choosing personnel. The notification does not mention the RSS or BJP, or specify political affiliation as a criterion for appointment.
“Teachers of any educational institution of the government, local authority, aided or unaided private bodies, societies or trusts. Clerks or any official of the central government, state government, local authority or establishment (including public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, banks, companies, institutions, societies and trusts). Any person, as the state government or the Union territory administration may consider suitable, to perform the duties as an enumerator.” the notification reads.
Legal challenges
The change comes amid legal challenges over the deployment of private-school staff for Census duties. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed Haryana government communications seeking details of teachers from private unaided schools. The Allahabad High Court has also stayed orders concerning the deployment of school staff in Gautam Budh Nagar.
The Centre has approved an outlay of Rs 11,718.24 crore for the exercise.
Edited by Sunanda Ranjan
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