Nagpur Civic Authority Demands Police Action Against School Officials Over Census Non-Compliance
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has escalated a significant administrative dispute by formally requesting the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against ten staff members from local schools. These individuals are accused of deliberately refusing to fulfill their assigned responsibilities under the ongoing national Census 2026-27 exercise, a move the civic body describes as a serious violation of statutory obligations.
Official Communication Cites Legal Mandates
In an official communication dated April 6, issued by the Assistant Commissioner of the Satranjipura zone, the municipal corporation has urgently appealed to the Senior Police Inspector of the Yashodhara Nagar police station to initiate immediate legal proceedings against the accused staff. The letter explicitly references the binding provisions of the Census Act, 1948, alongside relevant directives issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. These regulations unequivocally mandate participation in census-related work for all designated officials, making refusal a legally actionable offense.
The staff in question, comprising a principal, several teachers, and administrative personnel, were officially appointed as enumerators and supervisors for the critical census operation. According to the NMC's allegations, these individuals have consistently failed to discharge their duties despite receiving repeated instructions and formal notifications from the civic administration. The municipal body has categorically termed this collective inaction a blatant violation of lawful orders, which attracts penal action under Section 187 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, pertaining to the disobedience of orders duly promulgated by a public servant.
Broader Pattern of Non-Compliance Across the City
The issue, however, appears to be not an isolated incident but part of a wider pattern of non-cooperation. Civic officials have confirmed that the problem of enumerators and supervisors failing to report for duty persists across all ten administrative zones of Nagpur. This systemic reluctance is reportedly hampering the smooth progress of the crucial national census exercise in the city.
Officials further elaborated that the challenge extends beyond these ten individuals. Multiple educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and various government, semi-government, and unaided private institutions, have either failed to relieve their assigned staff for census duties or have outright refused to accept the appointment orders issued by the municipal corporation. This widespread non-compliance has prompted the highest levels of the civic administration to take stern notice.
Municipal Commissioner Directs Stringent Action
Taking serious cognizance of the escalating situation, the Municipal Commissioner has issued a directive to the Assistant Commissioners of all ten zones. They have been instructed to initiate appropriate disciplinary and legal action against all non-compliant institutions and their staff members. To streamline the process, the NMC has officially authorized a Junior Engineer from the Satranjipura zone to actively pursue the complaint and coordinate with the police authorities for all subsequent legal proceedings.
As of the latest reports, police officials have yet to confirm whether a formal case has been registered based on the NMC's request. The matter remains under active investigation by the law enforcement agencies, who are assessing the legal merits of the civic body's complaint against the backdrop of the mandatory national census regulations.
