Census: Citizens told to download app for house listing

Hyderabad: Census 2027 Director Bharati Hollikeri has said that citizens should download an app for digital filling of the details during the house listing which begins April this year.

Emphasising the importance of accurate data and public participation, she explained key features of the upcoming national census and stressed that cooperation from citizens will play a crucial role in ensuring the success of the census process.

She explained that Census 2027 will introduce several new initiatives, including digital census tools, self enumeration, caste enumeration, mobile based data collection, and strengthened data validation mechanisms. These initiatives, she explained, aim to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and timeliness of data collection. Explaining the schedule, she said the census will be conducted in two phases. The first phase, House Listing and Housing Census, will include self-enumeration from April 26 to May 10, 2026, followed by house listing from May 11 to June 9, 2026.

The second phase, Population Enumeration, will take place from February 9 to February 28, 2027, with enumeration of the houseless population on the night of February 28 and a revisional round from March 1 to 5, 2027. The reference date will be 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027, she explained. She further explained that several digital platforms and applications will be used, including the Jurisdictional Changes Portal, Census Management and Monitoring System, House Listing Block Creator, HLO App, Self Enumeration Portal, and PE App.

The District Census Handbook (DCHB) will also compile extensive demographic and socio economic data on villages and towns. Highlighting legal provisions, she explained that the Census Act ensures strict confidentiality of data, and violations such as refusing to provide information or obstructing officials may attract penalties.