Shimla, April 23: The Government of Himachal Pradesh has sounded the bugle for the upcoming Census 2027, announcing a fully digital, two-phase enumeration exercise and urging citizens across the state to cooperate with officials.
In a notification issued by the General Administration Department, the state government said the exercise will be conducted under provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and guidelines of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India.
The first phase—Houselisting and Housing Census—will begin from June 16, 2026, and run till July 15, 2026. Notably, authorities are introducing a self-enumeration option, allowing residents to digitally submit their details in a 15-day window before the formal enumeration begins.
The second phase—Population Enumeration—will be conducted in February 2027, while snow-bound areas of Himachal Pradesh will see this exercise advanced to September 2026, keeping in view harsh winter conditions.
The government has appealed to residents to extend “full cooperation” to census officials, stressing that the data collected plays a crucial role in governance and policy-making.
Chief Secretary underlined that census data remains the backbone of planning, offering granular insights down to villages and urban wards on key indicators such as housing conditions, literacy, migration, economic activity, and demographics.
The data is also vital for delimitation and reservation of constituencies, directly influencing electoral representation from Parliament to Panchayats.
With the shift to a digital format, the Census 2027 is expected to mark a significant transition in how population data is collected and processed, aiming for greater accuracy and efficiency.
The notification makes it clear: as the world’s largest administrative exercise goes digital, the success of Census 2027 in Himachal will hinge on public participation.
