Chennai: The first phase of census and updation of the National Population Register (NPR) have been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government told Lok Sabha.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the government decided to conduct Census 2021 under the Census Act, 1948 in two phases – House listing and Housing Census during April-September, 2020 and Population Enumeration during 9-28 February, 2021.

He said it was also decided to update the NPR under the Citizenship Act, 1955 along with the first phase of Census.

The demographic and other particulars of each family and individual were to be updated, collected during the exercise of updation of NPR and no document was to be collected during this exercise, he said

The Minister said the government was in discussions with the states having concerns in regard to the preparation of NPR.

Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the first phase of census, updation of NPR and other related field activities have been postponed,” he said.