Teachers, govt officials assigned Census duty warned of strict action for negligence

The Jammu and Kashmir government has directed all teaching staff and other government employees deployed for Census-2027 duties to discharge their responsibilities diligently, warning that refusal, negligence or misconduct during census operations could attract imprisonment, fines and departmental action.

According to a circular issued by Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), M. Raju, officials failing to perform census duties may face legal consequences under Section 11 of the Census Act, 1948.

The provision stipulates imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 1,000 for Census Officers who refuse to carry out assigned duties, neglect responsibilities, engage in misconduct during fieldwork or tamper with census records.

The circular also states that disciplinary proceedings under the J&K Government Employees Conduct Rules may be initiated against defaulting officials. Such action may include adverse service entries, salary deductions, withholding of promotions and increments, departmental inquiries, suspension and, in cases of repeated negligence, termination from service.

The directive comes amid the ongoing House Listing Operation (HLO) of Census-2027, which began on June 1 and will continue till June 30 across the Union Territory.

The government has instructed Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Heads of Departments to extend full cooperation and administrative support to census personnel. Controlling officers have been asked to regulate work schedules of deployed staff to ensure timely completion of census-related tasks and remove avoidable obstacles during the exercise.

All departments have been directed to accord priority to Census-2027 work and provide necessary assistance to the Directorate of Census Operations, J&K, for smooth completion of the exercise.

A large number of government employees, particularly teachers and field-level officials, have been appointed as Enumerators and Supervisors under the Census Act, 1948. The circular emphasises that census duties are statutory in nature and must be completed within prescribed timelines.

Supervisors will oversee technical configuration of census applications, training and readiness of enumerators, verification of field boundaries, preparation of layout maps, validation of uploaded data and monitoring of field operations, including enumeration of homeless persons.

Enumerators, meanwhile, have been tasked with installing and registering official census applications, preparing block layout maps, numbering structures, conducting door-to-door data collection, verifying self-enumeration records and ensuring complete household coverage. They have also been directed to carry out revision rounds and update records through the designated mobile application.