J&K Leads All Union Territories in Census Self-Enumeration Drive

Monday June 1, 2026  – Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as the frontrunner among all Union Territories in the ongoing national Census self-enumeration exercise, a senior census official confirmed on Monday. The performance reflects a notable improvement in public cooperation with government data-gathering initiatives in the region — historically a contested space given the political sensitivity around demographics. Officials attributed J&K’s strong showing to effective outreach by district administrations and awareness campaigns that helped build public trust in the digital enumeration process. The national Census — delayed significantly from its original schedule — is being conducted amid heightened attention to demographic data across India’s politically sensitive states and UTs. J&K’s leading position will likely be cited as a governance success story by the Omar Abdullah administration, which has worked to project normalcy and institutional confidence in the region. The census exercise is critical for future planning in areas such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure development across the UT.