New Delhi, September 5 (TNA) The Centre has decided to pre-pone the population enumeration phase of the 2027 Census in four key states-Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand-so that the exercise is completed well before their scheduled assembly elections, ensuring that the latest demographic data is available for any future delimitation and electoral planning.
Revised schedule for the four states
Under the revised calendar, the Population Enumeration (PE) phase in these states will now be conducted in December 2026–January 2027, instead of the original nationwide schedule of February 2027. According to internal directives circulated to state census directorates, the fieldwork is expected to run roughly from December 1, 2026 to January 5, 2027, with preliminary data compilation to be completed within days and sent to the Home Ministry by around January 10.
This change follows similar adjustments already made for snow-bound and high-altitude areas. For Ladakh and snow-bound parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the PE phase began in mid-August 2026 through a self-enumeration portal, with door-to-door enumeration from September 1–30, 2026, to beat winter closures.
Why the shift before assembly elections
The decision is driven by the proximity of assembly elections in these states and the long-standing link between census data and delimitation of constituencies. The 2002 Delimitation Act and its 2003 amendment provide that any fresh delimitation can be undertaken only after a census conducted after 2026, which could lead to changes in the number of seats in state assemblies and Parliament. By completing the census ahead of the polls, the government ensures that the most recent population figures are on record when any future delimitation exercise is triggered.
In Uttar Pradesh, the move also dovetails with ongoing electoral roll revision under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which has already been conducted in the state along with several others. Officials say aligning census timing with the electoral cycle will help synchronise voter-list updates, demographic mapping and administrative planning before the election process begins.
Operational challenges for states
The compressed timeline has put pressure on state administrations and the Census Directorate. In Uttar Pradesh, for example, the entire process-from selection and training of enumerators to field-level duty rosters and micro-planning-now has to be finalised in about 90 days, compared with the longer preparation window originally envisaged. Similar challenges are expected in Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand, where local bodies, schools and other departments typically supply a large pool of census workers.
Despite the tight schedule, the Registrar General’s office has asked states to ensure that the 40-question PE form is completed door-to-door within the stipulated period, with special focus on hard-to-reach pockets and migrant populations.
Broader census timeline
The 2027 Census is being conducted in two phases:
• Phase I – House-listing and Housing Census: April to September 2026 (30-day window per state/UT).
• Phase II – Population Enumeration: Now December 2026–January 2027 for Goa, UP, Punjab and Uttarakhand; February 2027 for most other states; and September 2026 for Ladakh and snow-bound Himalayan areas.
For the first time since 1931, the PE phase will also capture caste data, following approval by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs in April 2025. The reference date for the census remains March 1, 2027, against which all population counts will be standardised.