Residents of the flood-affected districts of Charaideo and Sivasagar in Assam have been granted an extension for the housing phase of Census 2027. The Registrar General of India has extended the deadline for the house listing and housing census operations in these two waterlogged regions by approximately one month, allowing local administrations more time to complete the essential exercise.
Official Gazette Notification Released
According to a formal gazette notification issued by the Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, the initial phase of the census, which includes the houselisting operations and housing census (HLO), will run in both Charaideo and Sivasagar until October 31. This extension acts as a critical adjustment to the original operational schedule, addressing the unique challenges faced by these districts.
Suspension of Preparations Due to Severe Flooding
While the HLO was successfully carried out across most parts of Assam from August 17 to September 15, Sivasagar and Charaideo encountered major disruptions. Severe flood conditions in August forced authorities to suspend all essential census training programs and preparatory tasks. Because of this administrative pause, a special provision has been enacted to allow both districts to continue their houselisting activities until October 31, 2026.
Understanding the Census 2027 Two-Step Process
Originally slated for 2021, the decennial census faced indefinite postponement due to the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the revised schedule, Census 2027 will be executed in two distinct phases. The first phase consists of the houselisting and housing census, scheduled to take place across the country between April and September 2026. This will be followed by the second phase, which is the actual population enumeration, in February 2027.
During the crucial HLO phase, enumerators systematically catalogue all structures, houses, and household units throughout the nation. This detailed recording process creates a comprehensive structural directory that serves as the foundation for the subsequent population count.
Provisions for Self-Enumeration
As outlined in an earlier directive from the Registrar General and Census Commissioner in January, the standard nationwide window for conducting the HLO is between April 1 and September 30, 2026. Within this timeframe, individual state and Union Territory administrations are responsible for selecting their specific 30-day operational period.
Additionally, the modern census framework introduces an option for self-enumeration. The gazette notification specifies that this online self-reporting facility will be accessible to citizens for a 15-day period immediately preceding the start of the hands-on, house-to-house listing operations in their respective areas.
