Come clean on caste census: HC to Karnataka

The Karnataka High Court on Monday asked the state government to make its stand clear whether it wants to make use of the caste census conducted by the previous government.

The bench also asked the government if it wishes to publish the survey report. The caste census was conducted in April 2015 by the Siddaramaiah- led Congress government.

A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, passed the direction on the batch of pending PILs filed challenging the caste census.

The bench said that the matter can be closed if the state government does not want to rely on the data or report of the census. The counsel appearing for the Union government informed the court that the state government has no power to conduct the caste-based survey. He said only the Centre can take up such exercise.

The petitions were filed by Shivaraj Kanshetty and others. The petitions contended that the caste census was in violation of Articles 245 and 246 of the Constitution.