Chandigarh, April 18 -- Amid a surge in representations from government employees seeking relief from census duties, the deputy commissioner-cum-principal census officer Nishant Kumar Yadav issued a strict directive that no exemption from census duty will be granted except in cases of extreme medical emergencies certified by a government medical board. The DC emphasised that the exercise, conducted under the Census Act, 1948, is a legally binding national responsibility, and all deputed staff must participate. The first phase of the Census will begin in Chandigarh on April 16, starting with self-enumeration till April 30, followed by house listing operations from May 1 to May 30. To ensure smooth execution of the digital census, mandatory training sessions for enumerators and supervisors have been scheduled from April 16 to April 29 at designated centres across the city. Officials warned that absence from training or field duties will invite strict action, including penalties under Section 11 of the Census Act....