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Kerala News Updated Jun 16, 2026

Kerala Governor Arlekar Flags Off Phase I of Census 2027 with Self-Enumeration

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar flagged off Phase I of Census 2027 by completing self-enumeration digitally. The census will be India's first fully digital exercise, replacing paper schedules with an app-based system. Phase I runs from August 1-14, 2026, followed by Phase II house listing until September 14, 2026. The Governor urged public participation for an inclusive and accurate census.

Keralam Governor Arlekar flags off Phase I of Census 2027 by completing self-enumeration process

Thiruvananthapuram, June 16

Keralam Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Tuesday flagged off phase I of Census 2027 by completing the self-enumeration process upon registering his details through the self-enumeration digital platform in Lok Bhavan.

The self-enumeration process will be conducted in two phases: Phase I (Self-Enumeration): August 1 to August 14, 2026; Phase II (House Listing Operations): August 16 to September 14, 2026. The Census operations will continue thereafter, culminating in the reference date of March 1, 2027.

The Self-Enumeration facility is open to the general public through which they can submit their details in the portal. In Phase I of the Houselisting and Housing Census, through house-to-house visits, data on housing conditions, amenities available and assets possessed by individual households are collected.

The Census 2027 marks the largest administrative and statistical exercise in the world and is India's first-ever fully digital census, bidding adieu to the massive number of paper schedules that defined the previous such exercises of the past 150 years of Indian enumeration.

Census 2027 utilises the strength of the country in digital literacy and uses a digital mode of data collection through an app-based system, rendering the entire exercise seamless, transparent, and entirely paperless. It is a 100 per cent digital initiative and is sustainable, effectively transforming the world's largest administrative exercise into the world's biggest exercise in green governance as well.

In Keralam, Phase I of Census 2027 is scheduled from July 1-30, 2026, and the facility of self-enumeration is available from today, June 16 to June 30. After completing self-enumeration, the Governor exhorted all to wholeheartedly participate in the self-enumeration process and actively contribute towards an inclusive and accurate Census 2027 to make it a grand success.

The Chief Secretary, A. Jayathilak, District Collector Anukumari, K.Biju, Secretary GAD, Government of Kerala, Mitra T IAS, Director of Census operations, K Vasuki, Secretary to the Governor, Anjali Jose, Executive officer, Census were present.

— ANI

Reader Comments

Priya S

Great initiative by the Governor! This is a testament to India's growing digital literacy. I'm glad we're moving towards a paperless system—it's not just efficient but also environmentally friendly. But I do worry about data privacy and security. We need robust safeguards to prevent misuse of such detailed household information.

Vikram M

Good to see Kerala leading the way in digital adoption once again. But I hope the government ensures that those without smartphones or internet access aren't left behind. In a state like Kerala, with high literacy and digital penetration, it might work, but for the rest of India, there must be offline alternatives during house-to-house visits in Phase II.

Ananya R

A fully digital census is indeed a milestone! But I'm a bit concerned about the timelines—why is Kerala's Phase I running from July 1-30 while the national self-enumeration phase is later (August 1-14)? That might cause confusion among NRIs or people who move between states. Also, will the data collected now be properly secured for the next 15 years?

Rohit P

Super excited! This is the world's largest digital census. We should be proud that India is pioneering this. But I'd like to see more public awareness campaigns—many people still don't know about the portal or how to self-enumerate. The government needs to run ads in local newspapers, TV channels, and social media to ensure everyone participates.

Kavya N

Good to see the Governor taking the lead. But I have a small question: what about people who don't have Aadhaar or other ID proof

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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