“Every citizen under legal obligation to provide information; Census records cannot be used as evidence”
Srinagar: Ahead of the commencement of the census exercise in Jammu & Kashmir, the administration has issued a directive, urging the public to extend full cooperation by furnishing accurate information during the headcount exercise.
The Planning, Development & Monitoring Department has issued a formal notification, urging the public to extend cooperation during Census 2027.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Rule 8(ii) of the Census Rules, read with Circular No. 15 dated 12.03.2026 issued by the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir hereby directs the public to cooperate in furnishing accurate and unambiguous information in respect of all questions that may be put to them for the smooth conduct of the Census 2027,” reads the notification.
The notification has been issued almost one-and-a-half month before commencement of first phase of census in J&K. The Houselisting Operations (HLO), considered first phase of census- would be carried out from June 01 to June 30 in the UT.
The notification states that Census is the primary source of information at the lowest administrative unit on housing conditions, household amenities, assets, demography, literacy, religion, economic activity, migration, and fertility.
“Census data are extensively used for planning, policy formulation, effective public administration, and delimitation/reservation of constituencies of Parliament, Assembly, Panchayats, and other local bodies,” it states.
The Department has also invoked different provisions of the Census Act, 1948
The law makes it legally binding for every person to answer census questions truthfully “to the best of his knowledge and belief.”
It, however, exempts citizens from disclosing the names of female household members if prohibited by custom.
The law also requires dwellers to give census officers reasonable access to premises and allow the affixing of house numbers or marks.
It has also invoked provisions that lay down penalties for misconduct during census operations. These specify fines and imprisonment for refusing duties, obstructing officers, giving false information, or neglecting responsibilities.
The law further states that individual census records are confidential and cannot be used as evidence in civil or criminal proceedings, except for prosecution under the Census Act itself—(KNO)
