SC rejects PIL challenging Centre’s decision to conduct caste-based Census

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a PIL challenging the Centre’s decision to conduct a caste-based Census, saying the issue falls under the policy domain. The top court said the government must know the number of persons belonging to backward castes to frame welfare measures.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi did not agree to the submissions of PIL petitioner Sudhakar Gummula, who appeared in person to argue his case, that plenty of information and figures were available with the government on caste details.

"These are all policy matters, whether the Census should be caste-based or not. What is wrong with it? … the government must know as to how many people are in the backward class, what kind of welfare measures are to be taken for them. It is within the policy domain," the CJI said while dismissing the PIL.

The 2027 Census, officially the 16th national Census, will be the first to include comprehensive caste enumeration since 1931 and the country's first fully digital census.
(With PTI inputs)