A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court, urging the Centre to conduct a caste-based census across India. The petitioner argues that such a census is essential for the welfare of backward and other marginalized communities.
The PIL demands a swift enumeration of data for the 2024 census and calls for a Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC). The petitioner claims that an SECC will help identify disadvantaged groups, ensure equitable distribution of resources, and monitor the implementation of targeted welfare policies.
According to the plea, accurate data on backward and marginalized sections is crucial for the Union government to achieve social justice and fulfill constitutional objectives. A data-driven approach, the petitioner adds, is essential for informed policy-making, as it provides a clear understanding of socio-economic conditions and demographics, allowing for targeted interventions to uplift disadvantaged communities.
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The PIL highlights that the SECC conducted in 2011 was the first attempt in post-independence India to gather comprehensive data on socio-economic indicators, including caste information. However, concerns over data quality and classification challenges have delayed the release and effective use of this data. Despite the formation of an Expert Group to classify and categorize the data, its recommendations remain unreleased by the Union Government.
The plea also cites Article 340 of the Constitution, which mandates the appointment of a commission to investigate socially and educationally backward classes. The PIL criticizes the authorities for not completing the Census-2021, which was delayed initially due to the Covid-19 pandemic and has since been repeatedly postponed. The last census was conducted in 2011, and the ongoing delay has resulted in a “major data gap,” according to the petitioner.
The petitioner emphasizes that the census is more than just a population growth tracker; it also provides comprehensive socio-economic data that is crucial for policy-making, economic planning, and various administrative purposes.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter on September 2 before a bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti.
In the context of the caste survey in Bihar, the Supreme Court has repeatedly declined to issue an interim order to stay the survey process or halt the publication of its outcomes. Despite petitioners arguing that the matter would become moot after the data is published, the Court has not intervened.
Several special leave petitions were filed against the Patna High Court’s decision to dismiss challenges to the survey. The petitioners contend that only the Union government has the authority to conduct a census in India and that the Bihar government overstepped its jurisdiction by conducting a caste survey in the state.