The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi has granted approval for the extension of the freezing date of administrative unit boundaries from January 1 to June 30, as proposed by the Delhi government’s revenue department. The extension aims to accommodate the delayed activities related to Census-2021.
Originally, the Registrar General India (ORGI), Ministry of Home Affairs, had requested the chief secretary of Delhi to freeze administrative unit boundaries for Census-2021 from December 31, 2019. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing a delay in Census-2021, the boundaries’ freezing date has undergone multiple extensions.
The latest extension, approved by the Lieutenant Governor, sets the new deadline at June 30, 2024. This decision comes in response to the Delhi government’s revenue department’s proposal to provide additional time for the completion of census-related activities.
Rule 8 (iv) of Census Rules, 1990, empowers state governments and Union Territory administrations to freeze administrative boundaries not earlier than one year from the census reference date and until the completion of the census, allowing flexibility in response to unforeseen circumstances such as the pandemic-induced delays.