Bengaluru Central City Corporation Commissioner Rajendra Cholan has written a letter to five departments seeking to relieve the staff who have been assigned census work. (File Photo)The Bengaluru police Saturday booked a resident for allegedly abusing census officials on two occasions.The first incident is said to have taken place in a housing society on Dinnur Main Road on April 20.According to the police, Veena, a census enumerator assigned to the ward, visited the premises to collect data as part of her official responsibilities. When she requested basic information from a resident, the individual allegedly refused to cooperate, used abusive and obscene language, and prevented her from entering the apartment.The matter came to light on Saturday, when Veena’s supervisor, Rashmi R, visited the same apartment to verify why census work remained incomplete there. During her visit, the resident allegedly repeated the behaviour – verbally abusing the official and once again denying access to the premises.Thereafter, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed at the RT Nagar police station based on a complaint by Lokesh SP, the in-charge officer of Bengaluru North City Corporation (BNCC). The police have invoked Section 11(1) of the Census Act, 1948, along with Sections 223 and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), against the accused.BNCC Commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar said, “Census work is a matter of national importance, and obstructing officials in the discharge of their duties is a punishable offence. Strict legal action will be taken against such acts.”The commissioner has appealed to the public to cooperate with enumerators and provide accurate information, as it is the legal duty of every citizen.Story continues below this adMeanwhile, more than 6,000 government employees in Bengaluru deputed for census work have not turned up yet as they have not been relieved by their respective departments.In light of this situation, Bengaluru Central City Corporation Commissioner Rajendra Cholan has written a letter to five departments seeking to relieve the staff who have been assigned census work.Releasing a statement, he stated, “As part of the first phase of the National Census-2027, the house listing and house enumeration work commenced on April 16, 2026, within the jurisdiction of the Bengaluru Central City Corporation. For this important task, officers and staff from various departments and boards across Bengaluru have been deputed. However, as many of the assigned staff have not reported for duty, it has become difficult to carry out the census work within the stipulated timeline and in an effective manner.”