Kohima: The Nagaland Home Department has issued directives seeking public cooperation for the smooth conduct of Census 2027, with the first phase of house-listing and housing census scheduled to be carried out across the state from July 1 to July 30, 2026.
According to an official notification, the self-enumeration facility will remain available from June 16, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
The second phase, Population Enumeration, will be conducted nationwide in February 2027, followed by a revisional round from March 1 to March 5, 2027.
The Census serves as the primary source of data at the lowest administrative levels, including villages in rural areas and towns and wards in urban areas. It collects critical information on housing conditions, amenities and assets, demographic details, literacy, religion, economic activity, migration, fertility and other indicators.
The data generated through the Census is widely used by the Central and state governments for planning, policy formulation and effective public administration. The department has therefore urged citizens to extend full cooperation to census officials and provide accurate information.
The notification also highlighted key provisions under the Census Act, 1948 for public awareness.
Under Section 8 of the Act, census officers are authorised to ask questions as notified by the Central government, and individuals are legally bound to answer them to the best of their knowledge or belief.
Section 9 requires occupants of houses or premises to allow census officers reasonable access for enumeration purposes and to permit marking or numbering of buildings where necessary.
As per Section 10, occupants or authorised representatives of households and establishments may be required to fill up census schedules with relevant details and submit them to census officials as directed.
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The Act also prescribes penalties under Section 11 for refusal to perform census-related duties, providing false information, obstructing census officials, denying access to premises, damaging census markings, or failing to submit required schedules. Such offences may attract fines, and in certain cases imprisonment.
Further, Section 15 of the Act states that census records are confidential and cannot be inspected or used as evidence in civil or criminal proceedings, except in cases related to offences under the Act.
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