Karnataka Cabinet orders caste re-survey within 90 days citing 10-year gap

India Today

a day ago

The Karnataka Cabinet has unanimously decided to conduct a fresh Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, often referred to as the 'Karnataka caste census', citing the expiry of the ten-year period since the last such exercise. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed the decision following a Cabinet meeting that deliberated exclusively on the recommendations of the state's Backward Classes Commission, which had submitted its final report earlier this year.advertisementSiddaramaiah explained that the original survey was launched during his previous tenure as Chief Minister in 2015 and was carried out between April 11 and May 30 of that year. 'On 57 grounds we visited the houses and conducted the survey and submitted the survey,' he said, noting that around 1.6 lakh personnel were involved. The survey covered 5.98 crore people, a figure close to the projected population of 6.3 crore for 2015, up from 6.11 crore in the 2011 census.He added that the recommendations were finalised by 2018, but due to a change in government and subsequent political decisions, the report was not accepted. 'In 2018, our party lost and I tendered the resignation. There was a coalition government. JDS chief Kumaraswamy was the new Chief Minister. The report was completed by then. C Puttarangashetty was then commissioner. Kumarswamy insisted not to take the report,' Siddaramaiah said.advertisement
After the tenure of H Kantharaj, who chaired the earlier commission in 2015, Jayaprakash Hegde was appointed to lead the body, with BJP-appointed members forming the rest of the panel. The final recommendations, based on the Kantharaj report, were submitted on February 29, 2024. However, with the Model Code of Conduct in force due to the Lok Sabha elections, the Cabinet could not take it up until after the polls.Siddaramaiah said that senior Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala, held consultations with him and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on the matter. 'They suggested the report was prepared and ready in 2015. It's been 10 years already. According to the Backward Classes Act 1995, it's very clear that a new survey is to be conducted after 10 years,' he said.Quoting Section 11 of Clause 1 of the Act, Siddaramaiah said the Cabinet decided that the time had legally come to undertake a new exercise. 'We did not bow down to the high command. We are taking this decision according to the law,' he said. He also reiterated that Kumaraswamy had previously refused to receive the report and had even threatened Puttarangashetty. The BJP government that followed also did not accept the findings.advertisementNow that the report has formally been received and reviewed, the Cabinet has decided to authorise the commission to conduct a new survey within 90 days.Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said, 'The Chief Minister has already explained the decision taken in the Cabinet. It's clear—this is about the backward classes section. Once in 10 years, such things need to be revisited. The original survey was conducted from April 11, 2015, to May 30, 2015, and now it's already 10 years old.'He added that the survey would reflect current socio-economic realities, as population patterns, education levels, and public demands had changed. 'We want to do justice to everyone,' he said. Shivakumar also noted that the Backward Classes Commission would be given three months to complete the task and that the process would be made accessible online, allowing participation from Kannadigas residing in other states.'I don't want to comment on anything specific—this is a 10-year-old issue, and it needs to be addressed now,' Shivakumar said.
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