Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, July 1

The first phase of Census 2027, comprising House Listing Operations (HLO), has been completed across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

An official spokesman in a statement issued on the Press Information Bureau here said that the month-long field exercise was conducted from June 1 to June 30, 2026.

Chief Principal Census Officer (CPCO) and Director Census Operations (DCO), Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Amit Sharma, said the entire exercise was carried out through digital means, marking the implementation of end-to-end digital technology in the Census process. He said the operations were completed without any major technical disruption.

Congratulating the officers and field functionaries associated with the exercise, Sharma acknowledged the role of Principal Census Officers, Charge Officers, Nodal Officers, Master Trainers, Field Trainers, Enumerators, Supervisors and other officials in completing the operations within the prescribed timelines.

He said that 24,071 digitally mapped and geo-referenced House Listing Blocks covering 295 Census Charges were covered in Jammu and Kashmir, while 567 House Listing Blocks across 17 Charges were covered in Ladakh.

The exercise covered urban, rural, border, tribal, remote and geographically challenging areas.

Sharma said the successful completion of the field operations was preceded by an extensive capacity-building programme.

In Jammu and Kashmir, 30 Master Trainers, 614 Field Trainers and 29,269 Enumerators and Supervisors were trained, while 2 Master Trainers, 20 Field Trainers and 722 Enumerators and Supervisors were trained in Ladakh.

More than 27,000 Census kits were distributed in Jammu and Kashmir and around 800 kits in Ladakh before the commencement of field operations.

He attributed the successful completion of Phase-I to coordinated efforts between the Directorate of Census Operations, district administrations and field functionaries, supported by regular review meetings, field inspections and digital monitoring mechanisms.

He also acknowledged the contribution of awareness and publicity campaigns carried out through print, electronic and social media during the Census exercise.

Referring to the Self-Enumeration phase, Sharma said that over 6.67 lakh households in Jammu and Kashmir and 7009 households in Ladakh voluntarily submitted their Census details through the Self-Enumeration portal before the commencement of field operations.

Sharma said preparations for the next phase of Census 2027 had commenced.

Compilation of District Census Handbooks would begin from August 1, 2026, while Population Enumeration in the snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir and across Ladakh will be undertaken as per the notified schedule, followed by Population Enumeration in the remaining areas in February 2027.