First phase of census to begin in April 2026

Timeline for census

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Centre has asked states and Union territories to make any proposed changes in the boundaries of administrative units before December 31 this year, when they will be considered final for the census exercise, first phase of which will begin on April 1, 2026.

In a letter dated June 27 to all states and UTs, registrar general and census commissioner of India Mritunjay Kumar Narayan said that for the census, all villages and towns are divided into uniform enumeration blocks and for each block, an enumerator is assigned to avoid any miss or repetition during the population count.

"From April 1, 2026, the Houselisting Operation, the appointment of supervisors and enumerators and the work division among them will be done, and on February 1, 2027, the Census of the population will begin," Narayan said in his letter to chief secretaries of all states and UTs. "It is important that once enumeration blocks are finalised, boundaries of administrative units are not changed."

The registrar general further asked the chief secretaries to direct all departments "to make any proposed changes in the boundaries of municipal corporations, revenue villages, tehsils, sub-divisions or districts before December 31".