New Delhi: In a significant relief to the Bihar government, the Supreme Court dismissed all petitions challenging the former's decision to conduct caste census. The court, however, allowed the petitioners to approach the appropriate High Court with their grievances.

A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and Vikram Nath observed that the petitions lacked merit and hence dismissed them. The bench, however, granted exemption to the petitioners who can approach the relevant High Court. The Court was hearing three petitions on the matter, including one filed by an NGO. The petitioners had requested that the matter be listed for urgent hearing, to which the apex court had agreed on January 11th and scheduled the hearing for January 20th.

Violation of constitutional structure

One of the petitioner Akhilesh Kumar, a resident of Bihar, argued that the notification for the caste census was in violation of the basic structure of the Constitution and sought to quash the notification. Another organization, Hindu Sena, who had also filed a petition demanding a stay on the notification for the caste census, claimed that the move aimed to break the unity and integrity of the country.

500 Cr estimated for the survey

The Nitish Kumar government of Bihar had issued the notification for the caste census on June 6th, and the survey began on January 7th. The General Administration Department has been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the survey and is collecting data digitally via a mobile phone app. The survey is being conducted in two phases, with the first phase beginning on January 7th, collecting information such as the names of family members, their caste, place of birth, and number of family members, as well as information on economic status and income.

The second phase is slated to be conducted between April 1st and April 30th, will collect data on people's caste, sub-caste, and religion. The Bihar government has set a target of 2023 to complete the census and estimates that it will spend around INR 500 crore (approximately $68 million) on the survey. census was in violation of the basic structure of the Constitution and sought to quash the notification. Another organization, Hindu Sena, who had also filed a petition demanding a stay on the notification for the caste census, claimed that the move aimed to break the unity and integrity of the country.