The Ministry of Home Affairs recently announced plans to conduct the Population Census in 2027. The government disclosed that the Census will be carried out in two phases, with specific reference dates provided in the notification.

According to the notification, March 1, 2027, has been designated as the reference date for all states and Union territories, except for Ladakh and certain snowbound areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. For the remaining states and UTs, the reference date is set as October 1, 2026.

The official notification stated, "The reference date for the said census shall be 00.00 hours [12 am] of the 1st day of March, 2027, except for the Union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand." It further added, "In respect of the Union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date shall be 00:00 hours of the 1st day of October, 2026."

The Census of India is conducted in accordance with the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990.

The official gazette mentioned, "In the exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Census Act, 1948 (37 of 1948), and in supersession of the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs (Office of the Registrar General, India) number S.O. 1455(E), dated the 26th March, 2019 published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 3, sub-section (ii), dated the 28th March, 2019, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government hereby declares that a census of the population of India shall be taken during the year 2027."

The last Census of India was conducted in 2011 in two phases: Phase I – House Listing (HLO) from April to September 2010, and Phase II – Population Enumeration (PE) from February 9 to February 28, 2011.

The government also mentioned that Census 2021 was proposed to be conducted in two phases, similar to the previous Census, with phase I scheduled for April-September 2020 and the second phase in February 2021.