NEW DELHI: The exercise to update the National Population Register (NPR) will kick off on April 1 in the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) area with President Ram Nath Kovind to be the first resident to be enrolled. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu too are likely to be enumerated the same day.

While starting the NPR process with the President is as per precedent, the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner intends to make the opening day “grander” by also visiting the residences of the V-P and the PM for their enumeration. TOI has learnt that letters seeking a convenient time for NPR enrolment of the three — all of whom reside in the NDMC area — on April 1 are being sent out by the Office of the Registrar General of India (ORGI).

“Depending on their availability, ORGI hopes to cover the top three functionaries of the government on the very first day of NPR enrolment in the country. The President’s enumeration is likely to done in the presence of the home minister, the RGI and census commissioner and the director of census operations, Delhi. The same team may also witness the enumeration of the PM and the V-P,” an officer said.

The enrolment of the President, V-P and PM as well as cabinet ministers will be done with due publicity and is expected to send out a positive and reassuring message to the public at a time when many opposition-governed states have voiced concerns about NPR.

Sources said the President, V-P and PM may issue a public message at the time of enrolment, underlining the importance of Census and NPR and urging people to participate whole-heartedly in the exercise to reap benefits of government schemes and initiatives.

Kerala has said it will not update the NPR while West Bengal has put the exercise on hold. Many Congress-governed states and even NDA ally JD(U) have questioned new fields in the NPR form — such as date and place of parents’ birth — and suggested a review. The RGI recently started an outreach that involves visits to these states to talk to chief ministers and allay their concerns on NPR.

Sources said while the NPR manual and the draft form have been finalised, printing of NPR 2020 form by states may start only after mid-March. The form — which does not need to be notified — will have 23 fields of information, an undertaking that the information declared is true to the best of knowledge of respondent as well as disclaimer that nationality as declared will not confer any right to Indian citizenship. The new form may drop the penalty clause for giving false information.

An officer said while NPR data may be digitally captured via an app on the enumerator’s phone, self-enumeration by respondents shall not be an option.

There is apprehension within the government that some of the controversial fields of information being sought for NPR 2020 — such as date and place of parents’ birth, Aadhaar number, voter ID number etc — may be returned as blank by a large number of residents, especially in West Bengal.

There is also an underlying fear that the NPR controversy may affect the Census exercise, with many residents refusing to properly answer the Census questionnaire.

