Karnataka High Court Set to Delve into Legality of Contentious Socio-Economic Survey

A pivotal legal battle is set to unfold in the Karnataka High Court on September 23, as arguments will commence on a plea challenging the very legality of the state's ambitious socio-economic survey. This survey, often colloquially referred to as a 'caste census,' has been a subject of intense political debate and public scrutiny since its inception.

At the heart of the matter is a petition filed by K.

Jairaj, a retired IAS officer, who has brought into question the authority of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes to conduct such a comprehensive statewide exercise. The petition argues that the Commission's mandate, as defined by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1995, is primarily to advise the government on matters concerning the welfare and development of backward classes, rather than undertaking a full-fledged socio-economic and caste survey encompassing all communities.

The controversial survey was initially launched in 2014-15 by the then-Siddaramaiah-led Congress government.

Its objective was to meticulously gather a wide array of data, including caste affiliations, educational qualifications, occupational details, income levels, and land ownership patterns across the state. Despite the significant resources and effort invested, the final report of this extensive survey has never been officially released, remaining shrouded in speculation and political intrigue.

The unreleased report has become a hot potato in Karnataka's political landscape.

While the current Siddaramaiah government has signaled its readiness to accept and act upon the findings, various political factions and community leaders have expressed divergent views, some calling for its immediate release and others raising concerns about its methodology and potential implications.

Petitioners, including Mr.

Jairaj, contend that the scope of the survey far exceeds the Commission's statutory powers. They argue that a survey of such magnitude, aimed at collecting demographic and socio-economic data across all segments of society, rightly falls under the purview of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, an authority specifically established for such national-level data collection.

Granting such a broad power to the State Backward Classes Commission, they suggest, would be a significant overreach.

In response, the State government has filed robust objections to the plea. It firmly asserts that the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes is indeed empowered to conduct such a survey under the provisions of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1995.

The government's stance suggests that the survey is a legitimate exercise within the Commission's investigative and advisory functions, crucial for effective policy-making for backward classes.

As the High Court prepares to hear these crucial arguments, the outcome could have far-reaching implications, not just for the fate of the socio-economic survey itself, but also for the future role and powers of state commissions and the methodology of data collection for policy formulation in Karnataka.

All eyes will be on the proceedings on September 23 as the judiciary grapples with this complex interplay of law, politics, and social justice.