An Act to provide for certain matters in connection with the taking of census.
The Census Act, 1948 has 32 sections in 1 chapter, amended 6 times. Each link below opens the official text of that section. Official PDF on India Code.
The Census Act, 1948 PDF
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Official copy of the Act from India Code (Legislative Department, Government of India).
All sections of the Census Act, 1948
- Section 1 – Short title and extent
- Section 2 – Definitions
- Section 2A – Rule of construction respecting enactments not extending to Jammu and Kashmir (omitted/repealed)
- Section 3 – Central Government to take census
- Section 4 – Appointment of census staff
- Section 4A – Staff of every local authority to be made available for taking census
- Section 5 – Status of census authorities as public servants
- Section 6 – Discharge of duties of census-officers in certain cases
- Section 7 – Power to call upon certain persons to give assistance
- Section 7A – Requisitioning of premises, vehicle, etc., for census purposes
- Section 7B – Payment of compensation
- Section 7C – Power to obtain information
- Section 7D – Power of entry into and inspection of premises, etc
- Section 7E – Eviction from requisitioned premises
- Section 7F – Release of premises from requisition
- Section 7G – Delegation of functions of the Central Government with regard to requisitioning
- Section 7H – Penalty for contravention of any order regarding requisitioning
- Section 8 – Asking of questions and obligation to answer
- Section 9 – Occupier to permit access and affirming of numbers
- Section 10 – Occupier or manager to fill up schedule
- Section 11 – Penalties
- Section 12 – Sanction required for prosecutions
- Section 13 – Operation of other laws not barred
- Section 13A – Certain offences to be cognizable and triable summarily
- Section 14 – Jurisdiction
- Section 15 – Records of census not open to inspection of admissible in evidence
- Section 15A – Protection of service interests of members of census staff
- Section 15B – Protection of action taken in good faith
- Section 16 – Temporary suspension of other laws as to mode of taking census in municipalities
- Section 17 – Grant of statistical abstracts
- Section 17A – Power to extend the provisions of Act to other operations
- Section 18 – Power to make rules