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Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary M.A. Baby has urged President Droupadi Murmu to intervene and ask the Union government to withdraw amendments to the Census Rules that allow hiring of private individuals as census enumerators, warning that such a tweak in rules could lead to “arbitrary and politically motivated appointments”.

The amended rules allow teachers from aided and unaided private educational institutions, employees of institutions, societies and trusts, as well as officials and clerical staff of public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, banks and companies to be deployed for Census work. They also empower State governments and Union Territory administrations to appoint any person they consider suitable.

In a letter to the President, Mr. Baby said, “It raises serious questions about the criteria for selection, the impartiality of those appointed, and the safeguards against partisan interference. The discretion granted to State Governments and Union Territory administrations, without clearly specified criteria or publicly accountable safeguards, creates considerable scope for arbitrary and politically motivated appointments.”

Pointing out that the Census involves the collection of extensive personal information, he argued that people could be reluctant to share such information with enumerators in whom they did not have confidence.

“In the given political atmosphere, the fear that the information they provide will be used to profile them politically, target particular communities, question their citizenship or exclude them from their legitimate rights and entitlements is genuine,” Mr. Baby said.

Calling the Census a national exercise that “belongs to the people of India”, Mr. Baby urged the President, as the constitutional head of the Republic, to intervene and call upon the Union government to withdraw the amendments and ensure that the exercise was conducted in accordance with constitutional principles and public trust.

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