SC refuses to stop Bihar caste-based survey, hearing next Monday
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to halt the Bihar government's ongoing caste-based survey, India Today reported. The court would likely hear a plea challenging the Patna High Court's verdict upholding the validity of the survey on Monday. The petitioner wanted a pause in the caste survey, but the court ordered that it continue for some time.
Why does this story matter?
This comes nearly a week after the Patna High Court dismissed petitions contesting the caste census, ruling it valid and legal. The exercise has the potential to unearth the alleged caste discrimination in the country as well as its hazards. Several political parties have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of blocking the survey because it will expose upper-caste monopoly in government institutions.
'Let survey continue for some time': Justice Khanna
"Let the survey continue for some time. If it has completed 80%, let it reach 90%," Justice Sanjay Khanna told the petitioner. "We will hear this plea in detail on Monday, August 14," he said. Earlier, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the petitioner, said he wanted a pause in the caste survey, which is ongoing.
Patna HC rejected pleas contesting case survey
On August 1, the Patna High Court rejected all petitions contesting the state government's conduct of the caste survey in Bihar. The survey was supposed to be done by May of this year. However, on May 4, the high court halted the caste census. The survey is being conducted at a cost of Rs. 500 crore.
Bihar government aims to collect data in two phases
The first round of Bihar's case survey was performed between January 7 and 21, while the second round began on April 15 and was expected to continue through May 15. The state government plans to collect information on each household in two phases. The survey has 28 questions covering a wide range of topics such as caste, gender, religion, education, and socioeconomic position.
