SC refuses to entertain pleas against Bihar govt's decision to hold caste survey

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a batch of pleas challenging the Bihar government’s decision to conduct a caste survey in the state.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Vikram Nath said there is no merit in the petitions and dismissed them with liberty to the petitioners to approach the high court concerned.

“So this is a publicity interest litigation. How can we issue directions on how much reservation should be granted to such and such caste. Sorry, we can’t issue such directions and can’t entertain these petitions”, the bench told the counsel for petitioners.

Also read: Bihar begins caste-based census; Tejashwi says it will help weaker sections

Can approach Patna HC

The top court, which was hearing three petitions on the issue, including one filed by an NGO, said the petitioners can approach the Patna High Court for an appropriate remedy.

“All the petitions are dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to seek appropriate remedies in law”, the bench ordered.

On January 11, the top court had said that it would take up the matter on January 20, after one of the petitioners mentioned an urgent listing of the matter.

One of the petitions was filed by one Akhilesh Kumar, a social worker from Nalanda, saying that this decision fell under the domain of the Centre and hence the notification issued by Bihar government’s deputy secretary in on the caste survey should be quashed. It also sought that authorities be refrained from doing the exercise.

It added that there is no provision in the Constitution regarding caste configuration.

The caste census

The caste census began in Bihar on January 7 and the first phase will end on January 21. The second phase will start on April 1. Around Rs 500 crore are likely to be spent on the exercise.

Also read: Bihar: BJP’s Hindutva plank no match for Lalu-Nitish’s Mandal politics

The caste census has been a topic of hot discussion in Bihar for some time now and it is also said to be one of the reasons that Nitish Kumar broke his alliance with the BJP in the satte.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav have been backing the caste census, saying that it will help in forming better welfare schemes for people of different castes in the state.

(With Agency inputs)