Mohali Boundary Expansion Accelerates Amid Census Directive
The Punjab government is working against a tight deadline to complete the expansion of Mohali Municipal Corporation boundaries following a crucial directive from the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. The recent communication has set December 31, 2025 as the final cutoff for all administrative boundary changes across the country.
Census Commissioner's Directive Creates Urgency
In an official letter sent to Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories, Registrar General and Census Commissioner Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan established that no alterations in boundaries of districts, tehsils, sub-divisions, revenue villages, or municipal corporations will be permitted after December 31, 2025. This freeze is essential for the upcoming Census operation, with boundaries remaining unchanged between January 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027.
Mohali Expansion Process Gains Momentum
The Mohali Municipal Corporation boundary expansion process has significantly accelerated in response to this timeline. The Punjab government had previously issued a preliminary notification regarding the expansion, with November 6 marking the final date for residents to submit their objections. According to sources familiar with the matter, the entire expansion process must be completed by the end of December to align with the national census schedule.
The next critical step involves the Principal Secretary of the Local Government Department hearing all objections filed by residents. Following this hearing process, the final notification is expected to be issued promptly. State governments have received explicit instructions to finalize and implement all proposed boundary modifications by the year-end deadline and immediately inform both the State Census Directorate and the Office of the Registrar General of India.
The Census operation will proceed in two distinct phases. The initial phase, known as the Houselisting and Housing Census, is scheduled to commence on April 1, 2026. This will be followed by the population enumeration phase in February 2027. The timely completion of Mohali's boundary expansion is crucial to ensure accurate data collection and avoid any disruptions in the national census process.
