K'taka Cabinet to conduct fresh caste census survey, seek Backward Classes panel's opinion: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, June 12 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday that the state Cabinet has decided to undertake a fresh survey of the social and educational status of Backward Classes, known as caste census, as per Section 11(2) of the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission Act, 1995, given that 10 years have passed since the last survey.

He addressed a press conference at the Vidhana Soudha's Conference Hall in Bengaluru regarding the resolution passed over the caste census in a special Cabinet meeting.

He added that the state government would request the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission to complete the survey within 90 days, noting that Telangana completed its survey in 70 days.

Responding to a query about how this survey differs from the Central government's caste census, the Chief Minister said that the Central government has nowhere said that it will conduct a socio-educational survey.

"When we (Congress government) asked if they (Centre) would conduct a socio-educational survey, they did not respond. Hence, we are doing it. We are committed to providing social justice based on the socio-educational survey report," CM Siddaramaiah added.

He said that the last Cabinet meeting had decided to hold a final discussion on Thursday over the caste census report submitted by the Permanent Backward Classes Commission, and accordingly, Thursday's discussion focused solely on this matter.

The Chief Minister noted that the social and educational survey was conducted based on 54 parameters, involving door-to-door visits.

According to the 2011 census, Karnataka had a population of 6.11 crore, estimated to be 6.35 crore by 2015.

Out of the 6.35 crore population, 5.98 crore people were surveyed.

The survey began on April 11, 2015, and concluded on May 30, 2015, with the participation of 1.6 lakh staff and 1.33 lakh teachers.

Siddaramaiah noted that during his previous term as the Chief Minister from 2013-2018, the report and its recommendations were not finalised.

In 2018, a coalition government was formed with current Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister and Puttarangashetty as the Backward Classes Minister following which the report was complete.

When the then Commission Chairman H. Kantharaju and Commission members met Minister Puttarangashetty and requested that the report be received, the then Chief Minister Kumaraswamy pressured him not to accept the report, and so it was not received.

Later, Chairman Jayaprakash Hegde submitted recommendations based on the survey data to the state government on February 29, 2024.

"Due to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the report could not be discussed. Later, our (Congress) government received the report, and it was presented to the state Cabinet in 2025. Cabinet members offered their opinions, and finally, the report was discussed today," CM Siddaramaiah said.

He noted that as per Section 11(2), the advice of the Commission's Chairman, Madhusudhan Nayak, will also be sought.

Responding to a reporter's query on this matter, the Chief Minister said that as per Section 11 of the Act, a survey report loses its validity after 10 years due to changes in population, educational, and social developments.

To a query about the promise in the manifesto to implement the report, CM Siddaramaiah said that in light of the changed social circumstances and guidance from the Congress high command, the Cabinet on Thursday decided to conduct a fresh survey.

Retired Advocate General Madhusudhan R. Naik is currently the Chairman of the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission.

"Other Commission members are yet to be appointed. Madhusudhan R. Naik will be contacted to discuss the survey," Siddaramaiah said.

The Section 9 (2) of the Backward Classes Commission Act, 1995, states that a survey should be conducted on the social and educational status and problems of people belonging to Backward Classes.

The amendment was made in 2014.

Section 9(3) mentions the supervision of welfare programmes for Backward Classes.

Section 9(1) states that the Commission has the power to examine applications and include or remove classes from the list of Backward Classes.

Therefore, the state Cabinet's decision on Thursday is to conduct a fresh survey, and the Commission's advice will be sought in the coming days, the Chief Minister said.

"Population increases in 10 years. Economic, social, and educational changes also occur. Therefore, the Act stipulates that a survey should be conducted after 10 years. We are doing it accordingly. The Congress high command only advised on this; we are taking legal action," he told a media person.

Regarding objections from the Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities concerning the previous survey, the Chief Minister said that they are taking legal action as per Section 11.

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