In two months, India is projected to become the world’s most populous country with over 1.4 billion people. But, for at least a year, and possibly longer, the country won’t know how many people it has because it hasn’t been able to count them.

India’s once in a decade census, due in 2021 and delayed due to the pandemic, has now got bogged down by technical and logistical hurdles and there are no signs the mammoth exercise is likely to begin soon. As per 2011 census, India’s population stood at 1.21 billion.