Census 2027 Houselisting Extended in Assam's Flood-Hit Areas

The houselisting phase for Census 2027 in Assam's flood-affected districts of Charaideo and Sivasagar has been extended until October 31, 2026. This decision comes in light of the ongoing flood situation that disrupted initial preparations. The first phase of the Census, which began on April 1, aims to systematically catalog all households across the country. The extensive exercise, originally scheduled for 2021, was postponed due to the pandemic. The upcoming enumeration will provide crucial data for planning and resource allocation.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 18, 2026, 10:09 IST

Extension of Houselisting Phase

A file image of a woman wading through floodwaters in a village in Sivasagar. (AT Photo)

New Delhi, Sept 18: The houselisting phase for Census 2027 has been prolonged by almost a month in the flood-affected districts of Charaideo and Sivasagar in Assam, as announced by the Registrar General of India on Thursday.

According to a gazette notification, Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, stated that the first phase of the Census, which includes houselisting operations and housing census (HLO), will now continue in these districts until October 31.

Initially, the HLO in Assam was scheduled from August 17 to September 15. However, due to the ongoing flood conditions, training sessions and other preparatory activities for the Census in Sivasagar and Charaideo were halted in August.

The notification clarified, “For the Charaideo and Sivasagar districts of Assam, the period for houselisting operations for the Census of India 2027 is extended to October 31, 2026.”

The first phase of Census 2027, which began on April 1, will run until September 30 this year across all states and Union territories, with each state or UT determining a 30-day window for completing the HLO.

This decadal Census, originally set for 2021, was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The extensive exercise aims to accurately count the nation's population and will be conducted in two phases: HLO from April to September 2026, followed by population enumeration (PE) in February 2027.

The HLO will systematically catalog all structures, houses, and households nationwide to create a reliable framework for the population enumeration.

In a notification issued in January, the Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner stated, “The houselisting operations for the Census of India 2027 will occur between April 1, 2026, and September 30, 2026, across all states and Union territories during the specified 30-day period.”

Additionally, there will be an option for self-enumeration, which will take place in a 15-day period just before the commencement of the house-to-house houselisting operations.