Supreme Court Rejects Plea Against Caste Census, Refers Matter to Centre
Supreme Court rejects plea against caste census, says Centre must be informed.
The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the inclusion of caste enumeration in the upcoming population census, stating that the matter falls within the government’s policy domain and does not warrant judicial interference. The petition had sought directions to exclude caste-based data collection from the Census, arguing that such information could be misused by political and corporate entities and may lead to broader social and political complications.
The plea was filed by petitioner-in-person Sudhakar Gummula. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, observed that decisions regarding whether the census should include caste-based enumeration are fundamentally policy matters that lie within the executive’s domain. The Court noted that the government must have accurate data on the population of backward classes to design and implement effective welfare measures.
“Government must know how many people are there in backward castes for welfare measures,” the CJI remarked during the hearing, reinforcing the state’s rationale for data collection. The petitioner argued that collecting caste data could lead to misuse and unintended consequences, particularly if accessed or interpreted by political or corporate interests. However, the Court maintained that such concerns do not constitute sufficient grounds for judicial intervention in policy decisions of this nature.
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In its order, the Bench held that the issue of whether caste enumeration should be part of the upcoming Census is exclusively a matter for the government to decide. It further observed that courts cannot substitute their judgment for that of policymakers in matters involving large-scale administrative and demographic planning. Dismissing the plea, the Court concluded that no valid legal basis had been established to interfere with the proposed census process, thereby allowing the government to proceed with its policy considerations regarding caste-based data collection.
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