The Census Act 1948

THE CENSUS ACT, 1948
(Act No. 37 of 1948)
As amended in 1994

[3rd September, 1948]

An act to provide for certain matters in connection
with the taking of Census

WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the taking of census in 1***

India or any part thereof whenever necessary or desirable and to provide for certain
matters in connection with the taking of such census;

It is hereby enacted as follows: -
Short title
and extent.

1. (1) This Act may be called the Census Act, 1948.

2[(2) It extends to the whole of India. 3* * * ]

Definitions. 5[2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) “premises” means any land, building or part of a
building and includes a hut, shed or other structure
or any part thereof;

(b) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under
this Act;

(c) “vehicle” means any vehicle used or capable of being
used for the purpose of road transport, whether
propelled by mechanical power or otherwise.

Rule of
construction
respecting
enactments
not
extending to
Jammu and
Kashmir.

2. Any reference in this Act to the Indian Penal Code, the
Indian Evidence Act, 1872 or the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1973 shall, in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir, be
construed as a reference to the corresponding enactment in
force in that State.]

45 of
1860
1 of
1872
2 of 1974



 1. The Act has been extended to:-
Goa, Daman and Diu by Reg. 11 of 1963, S.3 and Sch. with modifications to the whole of the Union Territory of
Lakshadweep vide Reg.8 of 1965, S.3 and Sch.(w.e.f. 1-10-1987).
The State of Sikkim vide Notification No. 3465 dated 21-9-1976 (w.e.f. 13-9-1976).

2. The words “the Provinces and Acceding States of”  rep. by  A.O. 1950.
3. Subs. ibid. for the former sub-section.
4. The words “except the State of Jammu and Kashmir” omitted by Act 22 of 1959, S.2.
5. Subs. by Act 11 of 1994, S.2, for S.2.



2

Central
Government
to take
Census.

3. The Central Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, declare its intention of taking a census in the
whole or any part of the territories to which this Act extends,
whenever it may consider it necessary or desirable so to do and
thereupon the census shall be taken.

Appointment
of Census
staff.

4. (1) The Central Government may appoint a Census
Commissioner to supervise the taking of the census throughout
the area in which the census is intended to be taken, and
5[Directors of Census Operations] to supervise the taking of the
census within the several States.

(2) The State Government may appoint persons as
census-officers 2[with such designations as that Government
may deem necessary] to take, or aid in, or supervise the taking
of, the census within any specified local area and such persons,
when so appointed, shall be bound to serve accordingly.

(3) A declaration in writing, signed by any authority
authorised by the State Government in this behalf, that any
person has been duly appointed a census-officer for any local
area shall be conclusive proof of such appointment.

(4) The State government may delegate to such authority
as it thinks fit the power of appointing census-officers conferred
by sub-section (2).

Staff of every
local authori-
ty to be made
available for
taking
census.

3[4A. Every local authority in a State shall, when so directed by
a written order by the Central Government or by an authority
appointed by that Government in this behalf, make available to
any Director of Census Operations such staff as may be
necessary for the performance of any duties in connection with
the taking of census.]



Status of
Census
authorities as
public
servants.

5. The Census Commissioner, all 4[Directors of Census
Operations] and all census-officers shall be deemed to be public
servants within the meaning of the Indian Penal Code.

45 of 1860



1. Subs. by Act 56 of 1974, S.3 and Sch.II for “Superindent of Census Operation” (w.e.f. 20-12-1974)
2. Ins. by Act 11 of 1994, S.3.
3. Ins. by S.4 ibid.
4. Subs. by Act 56 of 1974, S.3 and Sch II “Superintendent of Census Operations” (w.e.f. 20-12-1974).



3

Discharge of
duties of
census
officers in
certain cases.

6.         (1) Where the District Magistrate, or such authority as
the State Government may appoint in this behalf, by a written
order so directs –

(a) every officer in command of any body of men
belonging to the naval, military or air forces, or of
any vessel of war, of India,

(b) every person (except a pilot or harbourmaster)
having charge or control of a vessel,

(c) every person in charge of a lunatic asylum,
hospital, workhouse, prison, reformatory or lock-up
or of any public, charitable, religious or educational
institution,

(d) every keeper, secretary or manager of any sarai,
hotel, boarding-house, lodging-house, emigration
depot or club,

(e) every manager or officer of a railway or any
commercial or industrial establishment, and

(f) every occupant of immovable property wherein at
the time of the taking of the census persons are
living,

shall perform such of the duties of a census-officer
in relation to the persons who at the time of the
taking of the census are under his command or
charge, or are inmates of his house, or are present
on or in such immovable property or are employed
under him as may be specified in the order.

(2) All the provisions of this Act relating to census-
officers shall apply, so far as may be, to all persons while
performing such duties under this section, and any person
refusing or neglecting to perform any duty which under this
section he is directed to perform shall be deemed to have
committed an offence under section 187 of the Indian Penal
Code.

45 of 1860



4

Power to call
upon certain
persons to
give assista-
nce.

7. The District Magistrate, or such authority as the State
Government may appoint in this behalf for any local area, may,
by written order which shall have effect throughout the extent of
his district or of such local area, as the case may be, call upon –

(a) all owners and occupiers of land, tenure-holders,
and farmers and assignees of land revenue, or
their agents,

(b) all members of the district, municipal, panchayat
and other local authorities and officers and
servants of such authorities, and

(c) all officers and members of staff of any factory,
firm or establishment, to give such assistance as
shall be specified in the order towards the taking
of a census of the persons who are, at the time of
the taking of the census, on the lands of such
owners, occupiers, tenure-holders, farmers and
assignees, or in the premises of factories, firms
and other establishments, or within the areas for
which such local authorities are established, as the
case may be, and the persons to whom an order
under this section is directed shall be bound to
obey it and shall, while acting in pursuance of such
order, be deemed to be public servants within the
meaning of the Indian Penal Code. 45 of 1860

Requisition-
ing premises,
of vehicles,
etc., for
taking of a
census.

1[7A.  (1) If it appears to the Central Government that, in
connection with taking of a census, -

(a) any premises are needed or are likely to be
needed, or

(b) any vehicle, vessel or animal is needed or is likely
to be needed,

that Government may by order in writing requisition such
premises, or vehicle, vessel or animal, as the case may be, and
make such further orders as may appear to it to be necessary or
expedient in connection with the requisitioning.

(2) The requisition shall be effected by an order in
writing addressed to the person deemed by the Central

 1. Ins. by Act 11 of 1994, S.5



5

Government to be the owner or person in possession of the
property, and such order shall be served in the prescribed
manner on the person to whom it is addressed.

(3) Whenever any property is requisitioned under sub-
section (1), the period of such requisition shall not extend
beyond the period for which such property is required for any of
the purposes mentioned in that sub-section.

Payment of
compensa-
tion.



7B.     (1) Whenever in pursuance of section 7A the Central
Government requisitions any premises, there shall be paid to the
persons interested compensation the amount of which shall be
determined by taking into consideration the following, namely: -

(i) the rent payable in respect of the premises or if no
rent is so payable, the rent payable for  similar
premises in the locality;

(ii) if in consequence of the requisition of the premises
the person interested is compelled to change his
residence or place of business, the reasonable
expenses (if any) incidental to such change:

Provided that where any person interested being
aggrieved by the amount of compensation so determined makes
an application within the prescribed time to the Central
Government for referring the matter to an arbitrator, the
amount of compensation to be paid shall be such as the
arbitrator appointed in this behalf by the Central Government
may determine:

Provided further that where there is any dispute as
to the title to receive the compensation or as to the
apportionment of the amount of compensation, it shall be
referred by the Central Government to an arbitrator appointed in
this behalf by that Government for determination, and shall be
determined in accordance with the decision of such arbitrator.

Explanation – In this sub-section, the expression
“person interested” means the person who was in actual
possession of the premises requisitioned under section 7A
immediately before the requisition, or where no person was in
such actual possession, the owner of such premises.



6

(2) Whenever in pursuance of section 7A the Central
Government requisitions any vehicle, vessel or animal, there
shall be paid to the owner thereof compensation the amount of
which shall be determined by the Central Government on the
basis of the fares or rates prevailing in the locality for the hire of
such vehicle, vessel or animal:

Provided that where the owner of such vehicle,
vessel or animal being aggrieved by the amount of
compensation so determined makes an application within the
prescribed time to the Central Government for referring the
matter to an arbitrator, the amount of compensation to be paid
shall be such as the arbitrator appointed in this behalf by the
Central Government may determine:

Provided further that where immediately before the
requisitioning the vehicle or vessel was by virtue of a hire-
purchase agreement in the possession of a person other than
the owner, the amount determined under this sub-section as the
total compensation payable in respect of the requisition shall be
apportioned between that person and the owner in such manner
as they may agree upon, and in default of agreement, in such
manner as an arbitrator appointed by the Central Government in
this behalf may decide.

Power to
obtain
information.

7C. The Central Government may, with a view to
requisitioning any property under section 7A or determining the
compensation payable under section 7B, by order, require any
person to furnish to such authority as may be specified in the
order such information in his possession relating to such
property as may be so specified.

Power of
entry into
and
inspection of
premises,
etc.

7D. Any person authorised in this behalf by the Central
Government may enter into any premises and inspect such
premises and any vehicle, vessel or animal therein for the
purpose of determining whether, and if so in what manner, an
order under section 7A should be made in relation to such
premises, vehicle, vessel or animal, or with a view to securing
compliance with any order made under that section.

Eviction from
requisitioned
premises.

7E.      (1) Any person remaining in possession of any
requisitioned premises in contravention of any order made under
section 7A may be summarily evicted from the premises by any
officer empowered by the Central Government in this behalf.



7

(2) Any officer so empowered may, after giving to any
woman not appearing in public reasonable warning and facility
to withdraw, remove or open any lock or bolt or break open any
door of any building or do any other act necessary for effecting
such eviction.

Release of
premises
from
requisition.

7F.        (1) When any premises requisitioned under section 7A
are to be released from requisition, the possession thereof shall
be delivered to the person from whom possession was taken at
the time when the premises were requisitioned, or if there were
no such person, to the person deemed by the Central
Government to be the owner of such premises, and such
delivery of possession shall be a full discharge of the Central
Government from all liabilities in respect of such delivery, but
shall not prejudice any rights in respect of the premises which
any other person may be entitled by due process of law to
enforce against the person to whom possession of the premises
is so delivered.

(2) Where the person to whom possession of any
premises requisitioned under section 7A is to be given under
sub-section (1) cannot be found or is not readily ascertainable or
has no agent or any other person empowered to accept delivery
on his behalf, the Central Government shall cause a notice
declaring that such premises are released from requisition to be
affixed on some conspicuous part of such premises and publish
the notice in the Official Gazette.

(3) When a notice referred to in sub-section (2) is
published in the Official Gazette, the premises specified in such
notice shall cease to be subject to requisition on and from the
date of such publication and be deemed to have been delivered
to the person entitled to possession thereof, and the Central
Government shall not be liable for any compensation or other
claim in respect of such premises for any period after the said
date.

Delegation of
functions of
the Central
Government
with regard
to
requisition-
ing.

7G. The Central Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, direct that any powers conferred or any duty
imposed on that Government by any of the provisions of
sections 7A to 7F shall, under such conditions, if any, as may be
specified in the direction, be exercised or discharged by such
officer as may be specified.



8

Penalty for
contraven-
tion of any
order
regarding
requisition-
ing .

7H. If any person contravenes any order made under section
7A or section 7C, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a
term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both.]

Asking of
questions
and obliga-
tion to
answer.

8.       (1) A census-officer may ask all such questions of all
persons within the limits of the local area for which he is
appointed as, by instructions issued in this behalf by the
1[Central Government] and published in the Official Gazette, he
may be directed to ask.

(2) Every person of whom any question is asked under
sub-section (1) shall be legally bound to answer such question
to the best of his knowledge or belief :

Provided that no person shall be bound to state
the name of any female member of his household, and no
woman shall be bound to state the name of her husband or
deceased husband or of any other person whose name she is
forbidden by custom to mention.

Occupier to
permit access
and affixing
of numbers.

9. Every person occupying any house, enclosure, vessel or
other place shall allow census-officer such access thereto as
they may require for the purposes of the census and as, having
regard to the customs of the country, may be reasonable, and
shall allow them to paint on, or affix to, the place such letters,
marks or numbers as may be necessary for the purposes of the
census.

Occupier or
manager to
fill up
schedule.


10.     (1) Subject to such orders as the 2[Census Commissioner]
may issue in this behalf, a census-officer may, within the local
area for which he is appointed, leave or cause to be left a
schedule at any dwelling-house or with the manager or any
officer of any commercial or industrial establishment, for the
purpose of its being filled up by the occupier of such house or of
any specified part thereof or by such manager or officer with
such particulars as the 2[Census Commissioner] may direct
regarding the inmates of such house or part thereof, or the
persons employed under such manager or officer, as the case
may be, at the time of the taking of the census.

 1. Subs. by Act 11 of 1994, S.6.
2. Subs. by S.7, ibid.



9

(2) When such schedule has been so left, the said
occupier, manager or officer, as the case may be, shall fill it up
or cause it to be filled up to the best of his knowledge or belief
so far as regards the inmates of such house or part thereof or
the persons employed under him, as the case may be, at the
time aforesaid, and shall sign his name thereto and, when so
required, shall deliver the schedule so filled up and signed to the
census-officer or to such person as the census-officer may
direct.

Penalties.



11.   (1) 1[(a) Any census-officer or any person lawfully required
to give assistance towards the taking of  census who refuses to
perform any duty imposed upon him  by this Act or any rule
made thereunder, or any person who hinders or obstructs
another person in performing any such duty, or

(aa) any census-officer or any person lawfully required
to give assistance towards the taking of a census
who neglects to use reasonable diligence in
performing any duty imposed upon him or in
obeying any order issued to him in accordance
with this Act or any rule made thereunder, or any
person who hinders or obstructs another person in
performing any such duty or obeying any such
order, or;]

(b) any census-officer who intentionally puts any
offensive or improper question or knowingly makes
any false return or, without the previous sanction
of the Central Government or the State
Government, discloses any information which he
has received by means of, or for the purposes of, a
census return, or

(c) any sorter, compiler or other member of the
census staff who removes, secretes, damages or
destroys any census document or deals with any
census document in a manner likely to falsify or
impair the tabulations of census results, or



1. Sub. by Act 11 of 1994, S.8



10

1[(ca)  any local authority which fails to comply with an
order made under section 4A, or;]



(d) any person who intentionally gives a false answer
to, or refuses to answer to the best of his
knowledge or belief, any question asked of him by
a census-officer which he is legally bound by
section 8 to answer, or

(e) any person occupying any house, enclosure, vessel
or other place who refuses to allow a census-
officer such reasonable access thereto as he is
required by section 9 to allow, or

(f) any person who removes, obliterates, alters, or
damages any letters, marks or numbers which
have been painted or affixed for the purposes of
the census, or

(g) any person who, having been required under
section 10 to fill up a schedule, knowingly and
without sufficient cause fails to comply with the
provisions of that section, or makes any false
return thereunder, or

(h) any person who trespasses into a census office,

shall be punishable with fine which may extend to one
thousand rupees and in case of a conviction under part
1[(a), (b) or (c) shall also be punishable with
imprisonment which may extend to three years.]

(2) Whoever abets any offence under sub-section (1) shall be
punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees.

Sanction
required for
prosecutions.

12. 2[Without prejudice to the provisions of section 197 of the
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, no prosecution under this Act
shall be instituted except with the previous sanction, -

(a) in the case of a person who is employed or was at
the time of commission of the alleged offence
employed –

(i) in a company, as defined in section 3 of the

2 of 1974

 1. Subs. by Act 11 of 1994, S.8



11



Companies Act, 1956, in which not less than
fifty-one percent of the paid-up capital is held
by the Central Government or any company
which is a subsidiary thereof within the
meaning of that Act, or

(ii) by a corporation or a local authority
established by or under a Central Act which is
owned or controlled by the Central
Government,

of the Central Government or of an authority
authorised in this behalf by that Government; and

(b) in the case of a person other than referred to in
clause (a) of the State Government.]

1 of 1956

Operation of
other laws
not barred.

13. Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to prevent any person
from being prosecuted under any other law for any act or
omission which constitutes an offence under this Act :

Provided that no such prosecution shall be instituted
except with the previous sanction referred to in section 12.

Certain
offences to
be cognizable
and triable
summarily.



1[13A. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1973, no police officer or court shall take
cognizance of any offence under part (a), (b) or (c) of sub-
section (1) of section 11, except upon information received from
or on a complaint made by, as the case may be, the Director of
Census Operations or any officer authorised by him in this
behalf.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1973, every offence punishable under part
(a), (b) or (c) of sub-section (1) of section 11 may be tried
summarily.]

2 of 1974

2 of 1974

 2. Subs. by S.9, ibid.

1.  Ins. by Act 11 of 1994, S. 10



12

Jurisdiction.



14. No Court inferior to that of a 1[Metropolitan Magistrate or
a Judicial Magistrate of the first class], shall try, whether under
this Act or under any other law, any act or omission which
constitutes an offence under this Act.

Records of
census not
open to
inspection
nor
admissible in
evidence.

15. No person shall have a right to inspect any book, register
or record made by a census-officer in the discharge of his duty
as such, or any schedule delivered under section 10, and
notwithstanding anything to the contrary in  the Indian Evidence
Act, 1872, no entry in any such book, register, record or
schedule shall be admissible as evidence in any civil proceeding
whatsoever or in any criminal proceeding other than a
prosecution under this Act or any other law for any act or
omission which constitutes an offence under this Act.

1 of 1872

Protection of
service
interests of
members of
census staff.

2[15A. No member of the census staff shall suffer any disability
in service by reason of his being on census duty and the period
spent by him on such census duty shall be deemed to be the
duty under  his lending employer and any duty performed under
this Act shall not in any manner affect the right of promotion or
other advancement in his original service.

Protection of
action taken
in good faith.

15B. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie
against the Census Commissioner or any Director of Census
Operations or any census-officer or any member of the census
staff for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be
done under this Act or the rules made thereunder.]

Temporary
suspension of
other laws as
to mode of
taking census
in municipali-
ties.



16. Notwithstanding anything in any enactment or rule with
respect to the mode in which a census is to be taken in any
municipality, the municipal authority, in consultation with the
3[Director of Census Operations] or with such other authority as
the State Government may authorise in this behalf, shall, at the
time appointed for the taking of any census cause the census of
the municipality to be taken wholly or in part by any method
authorised by or under this Act.

1. Subs. by Act 11 of 1994, S.11
2. Ins. by S.12, ibid.
3. Ins. by Act 56 of 1974 S.3 and Sch II “Superintendent of Census Operations” (w.e.f. 20-12-1974).



13

Grant of
statistical
abstracts.

17. 1[Subject to the provisions of section 15, the Census
Commissioner or any Director of Census Operations] may, if he
so thinks fit, at the request and cost to be determined by him of
any local authority or person, cause abstracts to be prepared
and supplied containing any such statistical information as can
be derived from the census returns for 2[India or any State] as
the case may be, being information which is not contained in
any published report and which in his opinion it is reasonable for
that authority or person to require.

Power to
extend the
provisions of
Act to other
operations.

3[17A. The Central Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, extend the provisions of this Act, with such
restrictions and modifications as it thinks fit, to pre-tests, pilot
studies, census of houses which precede the population count
and post enumeration check and evaluation studies or statistical
surveys or any other operation as may be deemed necessary for
the purpose of census.]

Power to
make rules.



18.      (1)    The Central Government may make rules by
notification in the Official Gazette for carrying out the purposes
of this Act.

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the
generality of the foregoing power, the Central Government may
make rules providing for the appointment of census-officers and
of persons to perform any of the duties of census-officers or to
give assistance towards the taking of a census, and for the
general instructions to be issued to such officers and persons
4[and providing for the manner of service of orders regarding
requisitioning of premises, or vehicle; vessel or animal and the
time within which the application may be made to it by any
interested person aggrieved by the amount of compensation
determined under section 7 B for referring the matter to an
arbitrator.]

(3) 5[Every rule made under this Section shall be laid,
as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of
Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of 30 days,
which may be comprised in one session or in two or more
successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session

 1. Act 11 of 1994, S.13
2. Subs. by the AO 1950, for “the Provinces of India or the Province”.
3. Ins. by Act 11 of 1994, S.14

4. Added by S.15, ibid.
5. Ins. by Act 4 of 1986, S.2 & Sch. (w.e.f. 15-3-1986).



14

immediately following the session or the successive sessions
aforesaid, both Houses agree that the rule should not be made,
the rules shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form
or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any
such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the
validity of anything previously done under that rule.]

23.6.00



15

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(Office of the Registrar General, India)

NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 31st December, 1990.

(As amended on 19.7.94)

S.O. 967(E). – In exercise of the powers conferred by sub – section (1) of section
18 of the Census Act, 1948 (37 of 1948), the Central Government hereby makes the
following rules, namely: -

1. (1) Short title and commencement. - These rules may be called the Census
Rules, 1990.

(2) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official
Gazette.

2. Definitions. - In these rules unless the context otherwise requires :-

(a) “ Act” means the Census Act, 1948 (37 of 1948);

(b) “Census Commissioner” means the Census Commissioner appointed
under sub-section (1) of section 4 of the Act;

(c) “Census Schedule” means the schedule containing questions referred to in
sub-section (1) of section 8 of the Act;

(d) “Charge Officer”  “Additional Charge Officer” and “Sub Charge Officer”
mean the census officers appointed as such under sub-section  (2) of section 4
of the Act and includes Tehsildar, Mamlatdar, Block Development Officer,
Chief Administrative Officer of a town, executive officer and other officers;

(e) “Director of Census Operations” means the Director of Census
Operations appointed under sub- section (1) of section 4 of the Act to
supervise the taking of census within a State or Union Territory;

(f) “District Census Officer”, “Sub- divisional Census Officer” and
“Additional District Census Officer” mean the census officers appointed
under sub-section (4) of section 4 of the Act;

(g) “Enumerator” means an officer appointed under sub-section (4) of
section 4 of the Act;

(h) “Joint Director of Census Operations”, “Deputy Director of Census
Operations” and “Assistant Director of Census Operations” mean
officers assisting the Director of Census Operations;



16

(i) “Principal Census Officer” means a census officer designated as such
under sub-section (2) of section 4 of the Act;

(j) “Supervisor” means an officer appointed under sub- section (4) of
section 4 of the Act;

[(k) All other words and expressions used herein and not defined but
defined in the Act, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to
them in Act.]1

3. Appointment of Census Officers :- The State Governments and the Union
territory Administrations in order to aid the taking of the census within their States
or Union territories, may appoint officers from against the category mentioned in
column 2 as census officers within their jurisdictions with such designation
mentioned in column 1 of the Table below.

T A B L E
Designation Officers to be appointed

1 2
1. Principal Census Officer District Collectors/ Magistrates/

Commissioners or administrative heads of
Corporations or any nominated Officer.

2. District/Additional district/
Deputy district/Sub-divisional
district/City/Additional City
Census, Officer.

District Collectors/ Magistrates/ Officers
assisting District Collectors/ Magistrates/
Commissioner/ District Sub-divisional
Officers or Revenue Divisional Officers.

3. Charge Officer/ Assistant
Charge Officer/ Additional
Charge Officer and Sub-
Charge Officer.

Tehsildars/ Additional Tehsildars/
Mamlatdars/ Block Development Officer/
Chief Administrative Officer of towns/
Executive Officers and other Officers.

4. Supervisor Officers generally of a rank higher than
enumerators or any person.

5. Enumerator Teachers, Clerks or any official or any
person.

4. Designating of Officers .- The [Central Government ]2 may designate the
Director of Census Operations, the Joint Director of Census Operations, the Deputy
Director of Census Operations and Assistant Director of Census Operations as the
Chief Principal Census Officer, Joint  Chief  Principal  Census Officer, Deputy Chief
Principal Census Officer and Assistant Chief Principal  Census Officer [for the States
and the Union Territories]3.

1:- Inserted by notification dated 19.7.94.
2:- Replaced the earlier words “State Govts. & the Union Territory Administrations”. By notification dated:- 19.7.94.
3:- Replaced the earlier words “within the jurisdiction of the State or Union Territory concerned”. By notification dated 19.7.94.



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5. Functions of the Census Officers. -

(1) The Census Commissioner shall,-

(a) take, aid in and supervise the taking of the census within the country;

(b) cause the Directors of Census Operations to be appointed for each
State or Union territory, as the case may be;

(c) devise the census schedules or questionnaires and provide to the
State Governments or Union territory Administrations for publication in
their respective Gazette in order to canvass in the census;

(d) compile and provide guidance to the Directors of Census Operations of
States and Union territories in taking the census and computation of
results; and

(e) publish the census statistics through publications or magnetic media.

(2) The Director of Census Operations shall, -

(a) take, aid in and supervise the taking of the census within the limit       of his
State or Union territory;

(b) prepare village or hamlet lists, classify places as towns according to
demographic criteria, group places to form urban agglomeration, standard
urban areas, etc. according to   instructions from the Census Commissioner
and coordinate the field work of house numbering and houselisting as per
instructions from the Census Commissioner;

(c) provide provisional population figures to the Census Commissioner, India
through the District Census Officers within such time as is specified;

(d) compile and provide assistance to Census Commissioner in compilation of
the statistical data as per procedures laid down by the Census Commissioner;

(e) publish statistics collected and computed during the census relating to the
State or Union territory, as the case may be with the approval of the Census
Commissioner;

(f) provide the census material required in taking the census to census-officers in
accordance with the guidelines provided by the Census Commissioner in this
regard;

(g) arrange to provide necessary publicity to census at the appropriate time; and



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(h) coordinate the work of appointment of census–officers and arrangements for
their training.

(3) The Principal Census Officer shall, -

(a)cause the required number of District or Sub-Divisional Census Officers or
Charge officers to be appointed for taking census in the district or municipal
corporation or panchayat area, etc.;

(b) take, aid in and supervise the houselisting and taking of the census within the
limit of the district or municipal corporation or panchayat areas, town area
committee/notified areas and the like and forward the result alongwith the
filled in schedules and blank forms to the Director of Census Operations
within the period specified by him;

(c) arrange for the training to Enumerators, Supervisors and Charge Officers so
as to enable them to perform their duties efficiently and within the time
specified by the Director of Census Operations; and

(d) take action and prosecute any defaulting person with the previous sanction of
the State Government or of an authority authorised in this behalf by the State
Government.

(4) The District/Additional District or Sub-Divisional Census Officer shall, -

(a)(i) cause the required number of Charge Officers and other census
officers in a district or sub-division to be appointed;

(ii) cause the entire area of a district to be divided into well demarcated census
divisions, namely, charges, supervisor’s circles and enumerator’s blocks as
per instruction issued in this behalf by the Director of Census Operations;

(iii) cause the upto date list of villages and towns to be compiled and their
jurisdictional maps prepared;

(iv) assist the Director of Census Operations in compiling the related statistical
data as per his requirement;

(v) give proper publicity to census programmes from time to time so as to get
proper responses from the public;

(b) impart training to Charge Officers and cause proper training to be imparted to
Supervisors and Enumerators through Charge Officers so as to enable them to
perform their duties efficiently and to assist the Principal Census Officers to
take, aid in and supervise the houselisting and taking of census within the
limits of the districts, municipal corporations, panchayats etc.;



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(c) collect the filled in and blank forms of the various schedules alongwith
abstracts or any other statement that may be required to be prepared by the
Enumerators;

(d) consolidate the summary of enumerator’s abstract or statement for the entire
district;

(e) forward the filled in or blank forms of each schedule alongwith the
consolidated summary of enumerator’s abstract or statement for district and
similar collected abstracts for each Charge Officer or census-officer, through
the Principal Census Officer to the Director of Census Operations for the
State or Union territory Administration; and

(f) carry out such other jobs necessary for the successful taking of the census;

(5) The Charge Officer shall, -

(a) cause the required number of Supervisors and Enumerators to be appointed
within the  jurisdiction of his charge;

(b) prepare basic documents like general village registers and charge registers as
per instructions from the Director of Census Operations within the time
schedule;

(c) familiarise himself with the enumeration instructions and cause the
Supervisors and Enumerators to be trained so as to enable them to perform
their duties efficiently;

(d) ensure that the work goes on according to the time schedule;

(e) ensure full coverage, accuracy and timelines in taking census;

(f) collect the filled in and blank forms of the various schedules from all the
Supervisors in the charge;

(g) provide provisional population figures to the Census Commissioner, through
the Director of Census Operations within  a week on completion of census
operations;

(h) consolidate the summary of enumerator’s abstract of various enumeration
blocks and statements and forward these to the District Census Officers or
Sub-divisional Officers alongwith the filled in and blank schedules; and

(i) carry out such other tasks as may be necessary for the successful taking of the
census.



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(6) The Supervisor shall, -

(a) help the Enumerators under his jurisdiction and ensure that work is done as
per schedule and the coverage is complete; and

(b) collect the filled in and blank forms and statements from each Enumerator
and forward the documents alongwith such statements he may be required to
prepare, duly signed to the Charge Officer within two days of completion of
census operations.

(7) The Enumerator shall, -

(a) prepare Notional Map and layout sketch of the allotted enumeration block;

(b) update the housenumbering;

(c) fill up the various schedules according to instructions issued to him;

(d) undertake revisional round and updating of records;

(e) prepare enumerator’s abstract which shall consist of the location particulars
of the enumeration block alongwith the total population by various
characteristics asked for in the schedules and such other statements he may be
required to compile; and

(f) hand over all documents, filled in and blank, to the Supervisors.



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6. Census schedules and questionnaires,- The census schedules or questionnaires shall
be notified by the [Central]1 Government through Official Gazette under sub-section (1) of
section 8 of the Act.

[6A. Declaration of the date and duration of Census.- The Central Government may by a
notification published in the Official Gazette declare the date for the commencement of the
census and the period during which the houselisting operations and population census shall
take place.

6B. Manner of serving the order of requisition of premises and vehicles. - An order of
requisition under section 7A, shall be served -

(a) where the person to whom such order is addressed is a corporation or firm -

in the manner provided for the service of summons in rule 2 of order XXIX or
rule 3 of order XXX, as the case may be, in the first Schedule to the Code of
Civil Procedure, 1908 (Act V of 1908); and

(b) where the person to whom such order is addressed is an individual -

(i) personally by delivering or tendering the order, or

(ii) by registered post, or

(iii) if the person cannot be found, by leaving an authentic copy of the order with
any adult member of his family or by affixing such copy  to some
conspicuous part of the premises in which he is known to have last resided or
carried on business or personally worked for gain.

6C. Time for application for reference to arbitration under section 7B. - The time within
which any interested person, who is aggrieved by the amount of compensation determined
under section 7B may make an application for referring the matter to arbitration shall be
fourteen days from the date of determination of the amount of such compensation or where
the amount of such compensation has been determined in the absence of the person
interested or, as the case may be, the owner, fourteen days from the date on which the
intimation of such determination is sent to that person or owner.]2

1: - Replaced the earlier “State” by notification 19.7.94.
2: - Inserted by notification dated. 19.7.94.



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7. Census data. - The Census Commissioner shall decide the items on which data may
be released.

8. Notifications, Orders and Instructions to be issued by State Government - The State
Governments and the Union territory Administrations shall, -

(i) republish the intention of taking a census notified by the Central Government
in their State or Union territory Gazettes;

[(ia) republish the census schedules and questionnaires notified by the
Central Government in their States or Union Territory Gazettes.]1

(ii) publish a notification directing the public to cooperate in furnishing  accurate
and unambigous information in respect of the questions that may be put to
them through census alongwith an extract of penalties prescribed under
section 11 of the Act;

(iii) [republish]2 in the gazette the reference date for  the census and the period
during which houselisting operations and population census will take place
under section 3 of the Act;

(iv) freeze the administrative boundaries of districts, tehsils, towns, etc. from the
date to be intimated by the Census Commissioner which shall not be earlier
than one year from the census reference date and till the completion of the
census;

(v) nominate a senior officer of the State Government at State Head Quarters as
Nodal officer to liaise between Director of Census Operations and other
Officers in Census work;

(vi) impose restrictions on the Head of Department/ Officer on the transfer of
officers/ officials once appointed as Supervisor/ Enumerator, without the
proper consent of Principal/District Census Officer; and

(vii) give wide publicity of the census through radio, audiovisuals, posters etc.

9. Custody of census schedules and connected papers, - After the completion of the
taking of the census the canvassed census schedules shall be kept in the office of the
Director of Census Operations or at such other place the Director of Census Operations may
direct for processing the data collected.

1:- Inserted by notification dated. 19.7.94.
2:- Replaced the earlier word “publish” by notification dated.19.7.94.



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10. Canvassed schedules. - The canvassed schedules shall after processing is over be
preserved at the office of the Director of Census Operations or at such other place the
Director of Census Operations may direct.

11. Disposal of census schedules and other connected papers. - The schedules and other
connected papers shall be disposed of totally or in part by the Director of Census Operations
a year before the next census in accordance with the general or special directions as may be
given by the Census Commissioner in this behalf.

12. General or special instructions. - The Census Commissioner and the Director of
Census Operations may issue from time to time general or special instructions or such
directions, to the Principal Census Officers and other census officers appointed under the
Act, as may be necessary for the efficient conduct and timely completion of the census
operations.

[No. A 27021/1/88 – Ad. I]

A.R. NANDA,
Registrar General &

Census Commissioner, India.

Incorporated on 6.10.00