New Delhi, April 2 -- Census 2027, the world's largest statistical exercise, officially kicked off on Wednesday as President Droupadi Murmu - the First Citizen of India - exercised the option of self-enumeration under the first phase of the exercise. "The national enumeration exercise was initiated with the enumeration of the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, through the option of self-enumeration, upholding the proud tradition of commencing the national count with the First Citizen of India," a government statement said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also completed his self-enumeration on Wednesday and appealed to citizens to participate in the Census process. "Today marks the beginning of the first phase of Census 2027, relating to house listing and housing operations. This census is the first time data collection is being done through digital means. It also empowers the people of India to self-enumerate their household details. I appeal to the people of India to self-enumerate their household details themselves and participate in the Census process," he wrote on X. Vice-president CP Radhakrishnan, Union home minister Amit Shah, and registrar general and census commissioner of India Mritunjay Kumar Narayan also completed their self-enumeration. The self-enumeration process has commenced in eight states and Union territories, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, Sikkim, and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Delhi Cantonment Board areas of Delhi. Around 55,000 households availed the facility on the first day, according to the government. In Delhi, 1,000 people initiated the self-enumeration process in NDMC and Cantonment Board areas, all of whom completed it, an official said. The self-enumeration phase occurs during a 15-day window preceding the start of the house-listing operation (HLO). It is a web-based facility available in 16 languages where respondents can fill in their details online before the enumerator's visit. To participate, respondents can log in to se.census.gov.in and generate a unique Self-Enumeration ID, which will be shared with the enumerator during the subsequent field visit for confirmation. The house-listing operation phase - under which all buildings and households are systematically mapped, listed, and geo-tagged to collect data on housing conditions, household amenities, and assets - in these states and UTs will begin April 16 and continue until May 15....