Census to be conducted before Mar 2027

The 2027 Census will also be the basis for conducting the delimitation exercise for Lok Sabha seats

- Neeraj Chauhan & Smriti Kak Ramachandran

The Union government said on Wednesday that the long-delayed Census will be carried out in two phases before 1 March 2027, announcing a crucial exercise that will enumerate caste for the first time since independence and become the base for landmark processes such as delimitation and women's reservation.

A statement from the Union home ministry said the reference date for the 2027 Census will be 1 March. For the Union Territory of Ladakh and the snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be 1 October 2026.