Amit Sharma hears Gaddi grievances, promises foolproof digital Census 2027 in J&K

• Amit understands Gaddi community issues, vows to correct them in Census 2027

Udhampur (J&K), Apr 12, 2026: Amit Sharma, IAS, Chief Principal Census Officer (CPCO) / Director Census Operations (DCO) & Director Citizen Registration (DCR), Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, today attended the Annual Sabha of the Gaddi Community, which was held in Udhampur today and attended by him and other dignitaries in the presence of a huge gathering of the community.

CPCO/DCO/DCR J&K and Ladakh Amit Sharma, during his special address to the community members and media, shared special and unique features of the upcoming Census 2027 in both the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, wherein he invited all the public to participate with total zeal and enthusiasm, it being one of the biggest events of Indian democracy, which is going to happen after a gap of more than 15 years after 2011.

CPCO/DCO/DCR Amit Sharma also shared with the gathering that the Government of India shall be conducting an upcoming Census as the first-ever paperless census with digital means since its inception in India, which shall be backed by innovation & technology, and it shall have a far-reaching impact upon the Indian economy, demography, politics, and even the exports and imports happening in the nation.

CPCO/DCO/DCR Government of India, MHA for J&K and Ladakh Amit Sharma gave a patient hearing to various speakers of the Gaddi community who expressed varied concerns, primarily mentioning about under-enumeration of the Gaddi-Sippi community and the reflection of lower population data figures in all the previous versions of censuses, which resulted in the provisioning of fewer benefits to them in various government schemes and policies in comparison to other ST communities.

While noting all their concerns, CPCO/DCO/DCR Amit Sharma assured the huge gathering of the Gaddi community present in the Annual Sabha that the upcoming Census 2027 shall be conducted into a completely digital format which shall be foolproof and tamperproof to ensure provisioning of exact data sets, and this time, a special facility of self-enumeration shall be extended to the citizens of the UT, in which they can fill their accurate population data in the portal “se.census.gov.in” themselves, both in the phases of Houselisting and Housing Operations (HLO) and the second phase of Population Enumeration (PE) of Census 2027, which shall be counter-checked by visiting enumerators during the house-to-house visits later, before final submission.

CPCO/DCO/DCR Amit Sharma also shared other special features about the upcoming Census 2027, including House Listing & Housing Operations (HLO) to be held in the first phase for one month in June this year, followed by Population Enumeration (PE) in the second phase in September 2026 in snow-bound areas of UT and February 2027 in plain areas of Jammu & Kashmir, with a request to all members of the Gaddi community to share correct data with the enumerators and supervisors during visit to their respective homes.

During the programme, DCO/DCR Amit Sharma also happened to honour top achievers of the Gaddi/Sippi community, including popular singing sensation of J&K Bishen Dass who belongs to the Latti area of Udhampur; top-performing doctors; sportspersons; and students who have created a name and fame of the Gaddi community in the recent past. The organizers expressed deep gratitude towards Amit Sharma for sparing time out of his busy schedule to enlighten and encourage the Gaddi community towards this all-important national duty for contributing towards future progress and development through active participation in the upcoming Census 2027.