The New Delhi-based Chief Principal Census Officer and Director of Census Operations for Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (including the Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh regions), Amit Sharma, has announced that Phase I of Census 2027 will begin with house-listing operations in the territory from June 1 to 30, 2026. According to Kashmir Media Service, this will be India’s first census after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A.

An official said prior to the commencement of house-listing operations, a 15-day self-enumeration window will be open from May 17 to May 31, 2026. Clarifying the distinction between electoral and census exercises, Amit Sharma claimed, “SIR pertains to the revision of voter lists and is conducted by the Election Commission. However, the census is a comprehensive national exercise for the collection of demographics, socio-economic, and housing data for policy planning and governance.

It is conducted under the Census Act, 1948, and the Census Rules, 1990.” Addressing a press conference in Jammu, Amit Sharma said, “The census will be carried out in two phases across the territory. The first phase—House Listing Operations and Housing Census—will take place from June 1 to June 30, 2026, preceded by a 15-day self-enumeration period from May 17 to May 31, 2026.” Approximately 27,788 enumerators and supervisors will be engaged in the census operations across the occupied territory.

Notably, in 2023, the Indian government had already directed paramilitary forces to expedite data collection on residents across various parts of the territory, including the Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh. The task was reportedly assigned to the Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), with the use of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, for intelligence gathering for collecting data of the territory. The forces, since 2023, have also added lakhs of non Kashmiris, including employees, businessmen and bureaucrats.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)