New Census Set To Shape J&K’s Electoral Delimitation
Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir is preparing for the Census 2027, with a Union Territory-level Census Coordination Committee set to determine a 30-day window for houselisting operations (HLO) between April 1 and September 30, 2026.
Amit Sharma, Director of Census Operations on Saturday said that the committee, led by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, will finalize the timeline in its upcoming meeting. Houselisting operations are expected to occur from June 1 to June 30 in Ladakh, marking Phase 1 of the census. Phase 2, the population enumeration, is scheduled for September 2026 in snow-bound areas and February 2027 in the plains of Jammu & Kashmir. This census is particularly significant as it will provide detailed population data for reserved categories and will serve as the foundation for the next delimitation of Assembly and Lok Sabha segments, as mandated by the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019. For the first time, the census will enumerate the Papadis, Paddaris, Gadda Brahman, and Koli tribes as separate entities, following their addition to the Scheduled Tribe list in 2024. Additionally, it will collect data on Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in J&K, which includes 20 castes in the Central list and 41 in the State list, with OBCs entitled to 8 percent reservation in government jobs. The last delimitation exercise was completed on May 5, 2022, and no adjustments to electoral seats can occur until the census figures are released.
