SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir, India has issued a stringent directive cautioning civil servants that refusal, negligence, or dereliction of census duties during Census-2027 operations may attract criminal prosecution, including imprisonment of up to three years.
According to Circular No. 13-JK(GAD) of 2026 issued by the General Administration Department on June 5 2026, the House Listing Operation will be conducted across the Union Territory from June 1 to 30, 2026. A large number of government employees, particularly teachers and field staff, have been appointed as Enumerators and Supervisors under the Census Act, 1948.
The order underscores strict adherence to statutory timelines issued under Census Circular No. 16 dated March 17, 2026 by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
Supervisors have been assigned technical and supervisory responsibilities, including digital registration, boundary verification of census blocks, quality checks, mapping of field areas, monitoring of data uploads, and ensuring full coverage of households, including arrangements for enumeration of homeless persons. They are also required to coordinate training sessions, assist Enumerators in field operations, and ensure timely submission of completion certificates to charge officers.
Enumerators, acting as primary field functionaries, will conduct door-to-door data collection, assign house numbering, verify self-enumeration details, and update physical layout maps of assigned blocks. They are also mandated to carry official identification during fieldwork and revisit locked premises to ensure complete coverage.
The government has warned that any violation of duties will invite strict legal and disciplinary action. Under Section 11 of the Census Act, 1948, offenders may face imprisonment of up to three years, fines, or both. Additionally, departmental proceedings under the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules may result in penalties ranging from adverse service records to suspension, salary deductions, or termination.
The directive also calls for full administrative support from all senior officers, including Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, and Heads of Departments, to ensure smooth conduct of the exercise.
