Bandipora, May 16: The first phase of the Census exercise in Jammu and Kashmir will begin from May 17 with the launch of online self-enumeration and House Listing Operations (HLO) across the Union Territory, officials said on Friday.
Under the exercise, residents can submit household details online through the official census portal from May 17 to May 31, while physical house-listing operations will be conducted by field staff from June 1 to June 30.
Officials said the Census in J&K will be conducted in digital mode for the first time, with mobile applications and online platforms being used for data collection. Training of enumerators and supervisors has already been completed in different districts to ensure smooth conduct of the exercise.
In north Kashmir’s Bandipora, while addressing the media, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora said all arrangements for the first phase have been finalized. He termed the Census an important exercise for planning future welfare schemes, development projects and public services.
The Deputy Commissioner further said that internet connectivity in remote and shadow areas of the district would be strengthened during the exercise to facilitate smooth online self-enumeration.
Officials added that the second phase, involving population enumeration, will start in September 2026 in snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, while the remaining areas will be covered in February 2027.