New Delhi, March 30 (NationPress) The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, is set to hold a press briefing today at noon to discuss the framework for the upcoming census in the nation.

During this session at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, the Commissioner will unveil a thorough plan detailing the methodology for conducting the census across the country.

In anticipation of this major initiative, the Registrar General of India has issued a stern warning to census officials regarding any form of misconduct during the operation.

Actions such as negligence, data misuse, hindrance to census activities, and inappropriate questioning of citizens have been defined as violations.

Officials have been alerted that such offences may lead to penalties under the Census Act, 1948, which could include fines and imprisonment for up to three years.

In a letter dated March 17 to all states, Narayan highlighted the punitive measures outlined in Section 11 of the Census Act, with penalties ranging from Rs 1,000 fines to imprisonment of three years, or both, depending on the nature of the offence.

A key aspect of the forthcoming census is its complete digital transformation. This will be the first time the entire operation will be executed online, enabling citizens to enter their details through a self-enumeration system within a designated period.

Remarkably, the 2027 census will acknowledge live-in couples living together as married if they regard their relationship as a “stable union”.

In response to a common inquiry about the census self-enumeration portal concerning the status of live-in couples, sources have indicated that if they view their relationship as stable, they should indeed be classified as married.

This clarification represents the first official acknowledgment of such a stance within the context of India's census initiatives.

The introduction of an online system will facilitate individuals in self-enumerating by directly inputting their census information, lessening dependence on enumerators and streamlining the data collection process.

The census questionnaire will consist of 33 inquiries during the 'houselisting' phase, including one question about the number of married couples residing in each household. This phase aims to establish a comprehensive database of households across the nation and is anticipated to last 45 days.

The houselisting phase is scheduled from April 1 to September 30, with specific timelines for each state and Union Territory to be communicated separately by the concerned authorities.