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The Union government on Wednesday, September 24, told the Karnataka High Court that the Socio-Economic and Academic Survey, commonly referred to as the caste survey, was nothing but a “census cloaked as a survey”.
Appearing for the Union government, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Arvind Kamath argued that under the constitutional scheme, only the Union government is empowered to carry out a census, which is the single authoritative exercise to process and secure such data.
A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi heard the petitions filed by groups including the Rajya Vokkaliga Sangha and the Akhila Bharata Brahmana Mahasabha.
They have challenged the process being conducted by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission and sought an interim stay on the exercise.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Karnataka government, argued that a survey cannot be stayed unless its design is shown to be legally flawed. He cited the Supreme Court’s Puttuswamy judgement that governments are permitted to collect data for welfare purposes.
Singhvi further contended that the petitioners had made sweeping allegations that the survey is unscientific without substantiating them with concrete evidence. These objections could only be tested once the results are published, he said.
However, the bench asked the state about the sudden increase in the number of castes listed. Defending the Backward Classes Commission, senior advocate Prof Ravivarma Kumar said revisions in the caste list were made after several communities complained of being left out in an earlier survey.
He added that houses and electricity metres were geo-tagged, and Aadhaar details used only to verify the name of the householder, prevent duplication, and exclude non-residents.
The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government has said that the survey is essential for targeted welfare schemes, pointing out that it has allocated nearly Rs 420 crore for the exercise.
The High Court is expected to deliver its interim decision on the matter on Thursday, September 25.