New Delhi, March 26 -- The Registrar General of India (RGI),Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, has issued a detailed directive a week ahead of the country's largest administrative exercise - Census 2027 - outlining the duties of census enumerators, including ensuring all houses are covered in data collection, even if multiple visits are needed for locked premises, and maintaining polite behaviour.

Census officers found not performing their duties, or intentionally asking any offensive or improper question, or damaging any census document, may face imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of Rs.1,000, according to the directive issued to all states and Union territories (UTs), reviewed by HT.

"For smooth conduct of Census operations, it is ne...