Gujarat to launch first phase of Census 2027 from June 1

Gandhinagar: The first phase of Census 2027 in Gujarat will begin on June 1, with the state govt announcing a revised schedule for the crucial house-listing exercise after the programme was deferred due to local body elections.Director of census operations, Gujarat, Sujal Mayatra said enumerators would undertake door-to-door surveys across all 34 districts and 17 municipal corporations during June to collect data on housing conditions, household amenities and assets through a dedicated mobile application.Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar, Mayatra said the census exercise was initially scheduled to start in April but had to be postponed following the announcement of civic body elections in the state.He said citizens would also get an opportunity to participate digitally through a self-enumeration portal between May 17 and May 31. Residents will be able to upload information about their homes and household facilities online through the govt of India’s census portal before physical verification begins.The Census 2027 exercise will be conducted in two phases. The first phase, known as House Listing Operations (HLO), will be carried out from June 1 to 30, while the second phase involving population enumeration will take place in Feb 2027.Mayatra said the latest census exercise reflected a stronger emphasis on digital governance compared to previous rounds. More than 1.10 lakh personnel, including supervisors and enumerators, have been deployed for the operations across Gujarat.“They have 30 days, covering data for an estimated 700 to 800 individuals per enumerator,” he said, adding that the timeline was sufficient to complete the exercise smoothly.During the house-listing phase, enumerators will ask 33 questions related to housing structure, availability of toilets, LPG or PNG connections, source of lighting, cooking fuel and ownership of vehicles.Officials said Census 2027 would also introduce several new questions, including access to internet facilities, smartphones, source of drinking water and the type of cereal consumed most frequently in households.Mayatra urged citizens to cooperate with enumerators and provide accurate information, while assuring that all details collected during the exercise would remain confidential under provisions of the Census Act, 1948. He also warned that refusal to share details could invite penalties or legal action.