The Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics, A. Seneviratne, has assured the public that personal information provided during the Population and Housing Census will remain confidential, and that citizens are legally required to submit accurate data.
Seneviratne made these remarks during a special media briefing at the Government Information Department aimed at increasing public awareness about the ongoing census.
She emphasized that the public should provide accurate information without fear or suspicion to the Census Officers who visit their homes, assuring that the data will not be shared with any outside parties.
The third phase of the census, which involves gathering information on individuals and households, is currently underway. The final verification stage, known as ‘Census Day,’ will commence on December 19 and run for five days, concluding on December 24.
Seneviratne also noted that public data collection will be conducted in public spaces on the night of December 18. In addition to basic household information, the census will gather social, economic, and scientific data.
For the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, the census is being conducted using advanced computer technology. According to the data collected so far, 8,377,895 census units and 6,762,644 housing units have been recorded.
The briefing was also attended by Additional Director General K. L. C. S. Weerasuriya, Director Dr. W. L. C. S. Weerasuriya, and other officials from the department.
