The CEC had said that while the Census is a statutory exercise, holding assembly elections within the stipulated period is a constitutional requirement.
The revised timeline now means that the main population enumeration will conclude on Jan 4 and the revisional exercise by Jan 9, leaving the subsequent weeks free for the election process.
LUCKNOW: The Centre has brought forward Census 2027 population enumeration in Uttar Pradesh by more than two months, shifting the exercise from February to Dec 1, 2026-Jan 4, 2027, in a move that will ensure the statewide headcount is completed before the expected assembly election schedule gets underway. The notification provides for self-enumeration from Nov 16 to 30, 2026, immediately preceding the house-to-house population count from Dec 1. “The enumeration will continue until Jan 4, followed by the five-day revisional round. The revision is meant to include births and deaths occurring until 11.59pm on Jan 4. Addressing the Election Commission’s first All India Media Conference in New Delhi, Kumar had pointed out that the term of the current UP assembly ends on May 22, 2027, making it constitutionally necessary to complete the election process before then.
Enumerators will revisit households during these five days to incorporate such changes,” an official source said. Residents will also get an opportunity to complete the Census digitally before enumerators begin visiting households. In July, chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had made it clear that the UP assembly elections would be conducted on schedule despite the Census exercise.
The change assumes significance as the Election Commission had earlier made it clear that the UP assembly elections would be held on schedule and that the Census timeline could be adjusted, if necessary, to meet the constitutional requirement of conducting the polls on time.
Pingback: UP headcount shifted to Dec-Jan, decks for assembly polls cleared — Census 2027