Hostility and Mistrust Hamper Census 2027 Exercise in Mumbai

Mumbai, 12th June 2026 : As the house-listing phase of India’s 16th Census approaches its June 14 deadline, census enumerators across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are facing an unexpected challenge — convincing residents to participate in the exercise.

Enumerators, most of whom are school teachers and government employees, report being met with suspicion, hostility and, in some cases, intimidation while carrying out door-to-door surveys.

In Bhattipada, Bhandup, a teacher assigned to a slum cluster was reportedly stopped at the entrance and told she could not proceed until a local leader verified her documents. After waiting for several hours, she was forced to leave without completing her work.

Many teachers described humiliating encounters with residents who refused to cooperate. “People shout at us, slam doors and treat us like thieves,” one enumerator said, expressing frustration over the treatment received during official duty.

Authorities say that misinformation and lack of awareness about the census process have fuelled public suspicion. Questions related to housing conditions, ownership of assets and household amenities have triggered fears among residents regarding taxation, loss of welfare benefits, redevelopment projects and possible evictions.

The situation appears particularly challenging in slum settlements. One enumerator visiting a locality in Thane said a resident aggressively questioned the survey, recorded the interaction on video and warned the official not to return to the area.

Female enumerators have raised concerns about their safety while conducting surveys in unfamiliar neighbourhoods without security support. Some have resorted to taking family members or friends along during field visits to feel more secure.

Resistance has not been limited to economically weaker sections. Teachers reported that residents in several upscale housing societies questioned the government’s authority to seek personal information and denied survey teams entry despite official authorisation. In some instances, repeated attempts to collect data led residents to block enumerators’ phone numbers.

In a particularly alarming incident, a census team at Juhu Chandan Society in Thane’s Jambli Naka was allegedly refused entry and had dogs set loose on them. The issue was resolved only after senior census officials intervened and explained the purpose of the exercise to residents.

Across Maharashtra, nearly 2.6 lakh officials, including teachers and anganwadi workers, have been deployed for the census operation. Mumbai alone has around 24,500 enumerators and supervisors engaged in the process.

Sociologists believe the hostility reflects a growing trust deficit between citizens and state institutions. According to experts, many people, especially those from marginalised communities, associate government surveys with previous experiences involving bureaucratic difficulties, exclusion from welfare schemes and eviction drives.

They also point to the spread of misinformation linking census data collection with taxation, citizenship verification and the loss of entitlements. Additionally, repeated surveys conducted by various agencies have contributed to what experts describe as “survey fatigue.”

With only a few days remaining before the completion of the house-listing phase, officials say the challenge is no longer merely collecting information but reassuring citizens that the census is a constitutional exercise intended for planning and development, not something to fear.

The next phase of Census 2027, involving population enumeration, is scheduled to begin in February 2027.