The Karnataka High Court issued notice to the State Government on petitions challenging the conduct of a caste-based census in the State, observing the need to examine constitutional and procedural concerns before the exercise proceeds. The matter pertains to a government order approving a survey to assess the social and educational status of Karnataka’s citizens under the supervision of the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission. The Court also flagged questions on data collection methodology, privacy, and the potential burden on the State.
The petitions challenge the Government Order dated August 13, 2025, which mandates a survey to collect Aadhaar-linked digital data, voter lists, electricity meter readings, and other demographic details. Enumerators include school teachers and government personnel, with additional instructions provided in the Commission’s Handbook, which contains caste and sub-caste codes, GPS mapping, and household identifiers. The petitioners contend that the survey is arbitrary, unscientific, and a strain on public resources, noting that a similar 2015 exercise by the Kanthraj Commission was challenged and abandoned for lack of scientific rigor. They argue the current process repeats these flaws and raises constitutional concerns under Article 14 and Article 21.
Senior counsel for the petitioners emphasized the urgency of the matter, seeking a temporary halt to the survey until the Court examines the issues. They argued that the exercise is arbitrary, ultra vires, and wasteful, calling for the quashing of the government order and a declaration that the methodology prescribed in the Handbook is unconstitutional.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Anu Sivaraman and Justice Rajesh Rai K issued notice to the respondents, including the State Government and the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission. The Bench noted that the survey had already commenced but refrained from delving into the merits at this stage. The Court scheduled the next hearing for September 22, 2025, to consider interim relief, which includes a stay on the ongoing census.
While the Court did not pass any interim orders immediately, it directed that the matter be listed for hearing on September 22, 2025, and required the parties to be prepared for arguments on the constitutional validity, methodology, and potential implications of the survey.
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