Govt Issues Gazette Notification for 2027 Population Census

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday, June 16, issued the official gazette notification announcing the government's intent to conduct the next Population Census in 2027. This will be the first census since 2011, as the 2021 edition was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the notification, the census will be conducted in two phases across the country. The government also announced the reference dates that will be used for population data collection.

March 1, 2027, will be the reference date for all states and Union territories, except for Ladakh and the snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. For these regions, the reference date will be October 1, 2026.

The home ministry’s notification said:

"The reference date for the said census shall be 00.00 hours [12 am] of the 1st day of March, 2027, except for the Union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

In respect of the Union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date shall be 00:00 hours of the 1st day of October, 2026."

The official gazette further added: "In the exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Census Act, 1948 (37 of 1948), and in supersession of the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs (Office of the Registrar General, India) number S.O. 1455(E), dated the 26th March, 2019 published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 3, sub-section (ii), dated the 28th March, 2019, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government hereby declares that a census of the population of India shall be taken during the year 2027."

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