New Delhi, Mar 22 (IANS): Every Indian national is legally bound to reply to the census questions and all requisite steps are being taken to carry out the census and compilation of the National Population Register (NPR) exercise smoothly, the Parliament was told on Tuesday.

"Every person is legally bound to answer the census questions to the best of his or her knowable or belief and all requisite measures are taken with the support of the state governments to conduct the census and the National Population Register (NPR) exercise smoothly," Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha in reply to a question.

He also said that under the provisions of the Census Act 1948, the state governments appoint census officers to to aid or supervise the census exercise.

Ministry officials also said that the housing listing phase of the census and the exercise to update the NPR were scheduled to be carried out across the country from April 1 to September 30, 2020 but were postponed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government has put the census operation on hold but is yet to announce the new schedule.