The Supreme Court rejected a petition challenging the Centre’s decision to conduct caste enumeration as part of the upcoming Census.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, observed that there was “nothing wrong in the process.”
The PIL argued that the government already had sufficient caste-related data. The bench dismissed the plea, stating that the government must know how many people belong to backward classes and what welfare measures are required for them.
Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasised that caste enumeration falls within the policy domain of the government. He remarked that such data is essential for framing welfare schemes and ensuring equitable distribution of resources.
The Supreme Court caste enumeration ruling reinforces the Centre’s authority to decide whether the Census should include caste-based data. The court clarified that these are policy matters, not issues for judicial intervention.
