New Delhi, March 30 West Bengal has not yet issued the notification for conducting the census, and the issue has been raised with the state, Registrar General of India, and Census Commissioner, Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, on Monday.
When asked about West Bengal, he said that we have until September 30 to complete the first phase of the process.
"West Bengal has not issued the notification for conducting the census. We have raised this issue with them. It is expected that they will issue the notification soon, as it is a legally mandated exercise. We have time till September 30 for the first phase of the exercise," he said.
The 2027 census is being conducted in two phases – the first stage is known as house listing and housing census, and the second stage is the population census.
The house listing operations will take place during a 30-day window specified by each state and Union Territory through notifications between April 1 and September 30 this year.
There will also be an option for self-enumeration to be conducted 15 days before the start of house listing operations.
Narayan said that the census is a Union subject and is listed at serial number 69 in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, which is conducted under the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990.
The census is conducted in collaboration with the state and Union Territory governments, he said.
In Delhi, the house listing operations phase will be conducted in two 30-day windows.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Delhi Cantonment areas are undergoing the exercise from April 16 to May 15, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) area from May 16 to June 15.
The self-enumeration for the NDMC and Delhi Cantonment shall begin on April 1, and for the MCD, from May 1 to May 15.
Ten states and Union territories (UTs) have issued notifications to start the first phase of the exercise in April, while 15 states and UTs will start in May, and 10 will start in June or later.