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AP Census Director: Census 2027 data fully protected under Census Act, 1948
Andhra Pradesh's Director of Census Operations, J. Nivas, stated that Census 2027 data is fully protected under the Census Act, 1948. The timeline includes a 15-day self-enumeration window before Phase 1 beginning May 1, 2026, followed by Phase 1 and, later, Phase 2 in February 2027.
Why It Matters
Confidentiality protections are essential for public trust and participation in a large-scale census, enabling accurate data collection for planning and development.
Timeline
5 Events
Phase 2 Population Enumeration scheduled
February 2027
Phase 2 of Census 2027, Population Enumeration, is scheduled for February 2027 to collect detailed demographic, socio-economic, cultural, migration and fertility data.
End of Phase 1 window
May 30, 2026
Phase 1 (House Listing and Housing Census) ends after 30 days. Enumerators will continue verification, and the data collection groundwork for Phase 2 is prepared for the next stage.
Article report and data-protection assurances published
May 7, 2026
In an interaction with The Hindu, AP Director of Census Operations J. Nivas reiterates that Census 2027 data is fully protected under the Census Act, 1948 (Section 15) and will not be shared under RTI, used as evidence in courts, or disclosed to any institution. He describes the data as for statistical purposes and national planning and notes the census's scale and methods.
Phase 1 (House Listing and Housing Census) begins
May 1, 2026
Census 2027 Phase 1 begins in Andhra Pradesh, running for 30 days from May 1 to May 30, 2026. It will collect housing conditions, amenities and household assets and lay the groundwork for Phase 2. The phase includes mobile-based data collection, geo-referenced mapping, near real-time monitoring, and measures to avoid duplication based on continuous-stay residence. Special efforts are planned to cover homeless, tribal populations and transgender communities.
Start of 15-day self-enumeration window preceding Phase 1
April 16, 2026
A 15-day self-enumeration window for Census 2027 begins in Andhra Pradesh ahead of Phase 1. Citizens can enter their details during this window, with enumerators verifying information within the subsequent 30-day Phase 1 period. The Census Act, 1948, especially Section 15, protects personal data from RTI disclosure or use in courts, as stated by AP Director J. Nivas.