NPR Updation To Start From May 15 In Bihar, Says Sushil Modi, Warns Officials Of 'Action' In Case Of Refusal

Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday said updation process of the National Population Register (NPR) will be carried out in the state from May 15 to May 28. This comes after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan penned a letter to 11 non-BJP chief ministers, including his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, regarding apprehensions over NRC, NPR. 

The statement comes after Kerala and West Bengal governments decided to put the exercise on hold in their respective states.

Sushil Modi went on to add that administrative and punitive action would be taken against officials if they refuse to carry out the constitution mandated NPR.

Addressing the press conference on Saturday, Sushil Modi said the process of preparing NPR began in 2010 during the UPA regime which was completed between April 1 to September 30 that year.

“The NPR process in 2020 will be carried out between April 1 to September 30 in the country. In Bihar it will be done between May 15 and May 28, 2020,” Sushil Modi told reporters.

He also dared West Bengal and Kerala chief ministers, Mamata Banerjee and P Vijayan respectively not to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the NPR if they can.

Sushil Modi said that no state including can refuse to implement the CAA or NPR as the Centre has the power to bring legislation over citizenship.

He added that preparing NPR is a statutory provision which no state can refuse to implement.

Earlier, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan wrote a letter to 11 non-BJP chief ministers, including Nitish Kumar, citing a resolution passed by the state demanding scrapping of the amended Citizenship Act and asking them to take similar steps against the contentious legislation.

Kerala State Assembly on Tuesday passed resolution demanding the withdrawal of Citizenship Amendment Act. The resolution was earlier moved by Kerala chief Minister Pinarayi Vijyan. While presenting the resolution, Kerala CM said that CAA goes against the ‘secular’ fabric of the nation and 'would lead to religion-based discrimination'.

(With PTI inputs)