Even as elections in four key states and one UT are still in process, the inauguration of the Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh and heightened political activity in Punjab, especially after Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit, both in March, have led to speculation that the Assembly elections in the two states may be preponed in view of the Census of India 2027 exercise scheduled around the time they are due for polls.
The 2027 election schedule includes Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Uttar Pradesh around February, while Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat are scheduled for polls later in the year, around November–December.
The Census 2027—the largest administrative and statistical exercise in the world—was originally scheduled for 2021 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now expected to begin in 2026. It will be conducted in two main phases across all States and Union Territories—Phase 1, covering house listing and the housing census, between April and September 2026; and Phase 2, involving population enumeration, around February 2027, when the actual headcount of every individual will be undertaken. For snow-bound and remote areas, including Ladakh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, population enumeration may be conducted earlier, around September 2026, with a reference date of October 1, 2026.
However, those in the know maintain that elections scheduled around February 2027 are “unlikely” to be held earlier due to the Census schedule. The Census population enumeration and state elections are separate processes that can coexist, they insist. “There is no indication that the Census work will cause election delays or lead to early elections. The Election Commission will plan the election schedule around the Census rather than changing election dates because of it. Therefore, the 2027 Census is not expected to force an earlier or later election date in states such as Punjab or Uttar Pradesh, as the two processes are expected to be managed simultaneously,” they said.
Notably, the inauguration of the Jewar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday was seen not just as a major infrastructure milestone for the ruling BJP at the Centre and in the state, but also as a way to strengthen the party’s political narrative ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, when Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will seek a third consecutive term. Positioned as a turning point for Uttar Pradesh’s economy and connectivity across the NCR, the BJP has also leveraged the airport politically in past elections by emphasising job creation and regional development, despite opposition criticism over land acquisition issues.
Meanwhile, in Punjab, political parties, including the ruling AAP and its rivals—the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP—are engaged in active political manoeuvring. The BJP-SAD alliance in Punjab, a long-standing partnership, is currently under discussion, with some leaders, including former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, advocating its revival to strengthen prospects in future elections.