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Census officials warn against OTP, bank detail fraud as house listing begins in Bihar
Census authorities in Bihar issued a public advisory against sharing OTPs, PAN, Aadhaar or bank details with anyone posing as enumerators amid the start of the Census 2027 house listing. The phase I operation began on May 2, 2026, with self-enumeration drive having run from April 17 to May 1, 2026, and enumerators commencing physical verification and data collection.
Why It Matters
The alerts aim to protect citizens from cyber fraud and ensure accurate census data collection as field operations begin.
Timeline
8 Events
Data collection via HLO app to begin
May 2, 2026
From May 2, enumerators and supervisors began collecting data on households, assets and amenities using the HLO mobile application.
District-wise top performers in self-enumeration
May 2, 2026
Madhubani topped with 5.9 lakh self-enumerations, followed by Vaishali (5.72 lakh), Darbhanga (4.84 lakh), Gopalganj (2.98 lakh), Patna (2.30 lakh), Bhojpur (2.01 lakh), Aurangabad and Khagaria (1.58 lakh each), West Champaran (1.29 lakh), and Purnia (1.15 lakh).
Progress update: self-enumerations recorded
May 2, 2026
Bihar recorded nearly 46.82 lakh (46,82,284) successful self-enumerations by the deadline, reflecting strong public participation in the Census 2027 exercise.
Toll-free helpline launched for queries or complaints
May 2, 2026
A toll-free helpline 1855 was made available for queries or complaints.
Census advisory warns against sharing sensitive information
May 2, 2026
Census authorities cautioned residents against sharing OTPs, PAN, Aadhaar or bank details with anyone posing as enumerators, urging cooperation with enumerators and vigilance against cyber fraud.
House listing operation commences; enumerators begin physical verification
May 2, 2026
The month-long house listing operation under phase I of Census 2027 commenced across Bihar. From this day, enumerators and supervisors started physical verification of house listing blocks based on digital boundaries created on the CMMS portal. Any discrepancies will be rectified through supervisory channels before assigning house numbers.
Self-enumeration drive concluded
May 1, 2026
The self-enumeration drive concluded in Bihar on May 1, 2026.
Self-enumeration drive for Census 2027 began
April 17, 2026
The self-enumeration drive for Census 2027 began in Bihar, running from April 17 to May 1, 2026.