Kerala govt stops NPR process in state

The Kerala government on Friday said it has ordered a stay on all activities in connection with the National Population Register (NPR) in the state considering 'apprehensions' of the public that it would lead to NRC in the wake of the controversial citizenship act.

While a government order said the NPR had been put on hold in view of apprehensions that it would lead to the National Register of Citizens (NRC), a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said the action was taken as the NPR "deviates from Constitutional values" and also because the matter was before the Supreme Court.

Even as the Left Front government in Kerala has taken a stand that the Citizenship Law will not be implemented in the state, the government had issued an order for data collection for implementing National Population Register (NPR) in Kerala.

According to sources, the Kerala General Administration Department issued the order last month stating that NPR would be initiated in Kerala in April-May 2020 as part of Census.

While there were allegations that it was a prelude to the National Register of Citizens, Kerala government sources said that the order was only a technical procedure in view of a Centre's directive.

The state government can decide whether NPR could be implemented in Kerala or not. Moreover, the ruling Left Front has decided not to implement the citizenship rule after it was passed by the Parliament last week.

(With PTI inputs)