Morning digest: Ex-officials flag concerns over Census data quality; MHA proposes new ‘Chapter K’ under Article 371 for Ladakh, and more

A Census official doing door-to-door house listings and housing surveys under the 2027 Census. File | Photo Credit: ANI Ex-officials say Census data must be confidential amid concerns over potential NPR, NRC linksThe Union government’s decision to advance the Population Enumeration phase of Census 2027 in four poll-bound States, coupled with the introduction of several new questions in the Census schedule, has prompted some former Census officials to raise concerns regarding the quality of data that is to be collected and the potential links between the Census, the National Population Register (NPR) and, ultimately, the National Register of Citizens (NRC).MHA proposes new Chapter K under Article 371 for LadakhThe Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has proposed an elected body for the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh by introducing a new constitutional provision under Article 371 of the Constitution in a proposed Chapter K, civil society members who attended a meeting with MHA officials in Delhi on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) said.Congress alleges ₹10,000 crore tax evasion through unregistered political parties, seeks JPCAlleging that 3,260 registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) had received political donations and evaded income tax to the tune of ₹10,000 crore, the Congress on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the “donation scam”.Solicitor General orally marks intention to challenge HC’s scathing decision against NSA detention of studentSolicitor General Tushar Mehta on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) orally indicated the government’s intent to challenge an Allahabad High Court decision to quash an order of the Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate, Medha Roopam, detaining a 25-year-old Delhi University law student under the National Security Act (NSA) over a workers’ protest in Noida in April this year.Forest rights group asks Tribal Affairs Ministry to withdraw stand on Gram Sabha consentThe Tribal Affairs Ministry must immediately withdraw its August 31 office memorandum that claimed there was “no provision” under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to seek consent of Gram Sabhas for diverting forest land for non-forest purposes, the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD) said in a statement on Wednesday (September 9, 2026).Last rites performed for Manipur musician killed in Delhi amid calls for justiceThe last rites were performed for Manipur musician Chongtham Vikram Singh at his locality in the State’s capital, Imphal, on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) amid calls for swift action against his killers.On marital rape, Supreme Court asks if courts can prosecute what State does not define as ‘rape’The Supreme Court on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) guaranteed safety and security to sexually abused married women, but questioned whether courts can direct rape prosecutions against husbands when the penal law exempts marital rape from criminal liability.Data on de-reservation proposals not readily available, says DoPT amidst tussle with Scheduled Castes panelThe Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has said that it does not have “readily available” data on the number of de-reservation proposals it had received from various Ministries and departments of the Union government over the last six years. De-reservation is the practice of filling a reserved position with a general category candidate.‘Rahman wants to visit India, but agenda has to be set first’Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is keen to visit India at the earliest but is concerned about take away points and achievements that he will have to produce before his audience back home after a visit of this nature, said a diplomatic source of Bangladesh to The Hindu on Wednesday (September 9, 2026)Trump says Iran war will end right after U.S. midterm electionsPresident Donald ​Trump on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) predicted that the war with ‌Iran will end “immediately after” the U.S. ​midterm elections in November because Tehran ⁠was trying to influence the vote but would not be able to hold out more in ‌the face of U.S. economic pressure. Published - September 10, 2026 06:57 am IST