Supreme Court

Caste Survey Breakdown to be Made Public for Scrutiny & Challenges: SC to Bihar Govt

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Bihar government to make the breakdown of the caste survey data public, allowing those aggrieved to challenge the findings.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta declined to grant interim relief to the petitioners challenging the caste survey and the Patna High Court’s order upholding the Bihar government’s decision. The bench emphasized the need for a comprehensive hearing to address the legal issues surrounding the high court’s judgment and the legality of the survey.

Senior advocate Raju Ramachandaran, representing the petitioners, highlighted that the survey data is being implemented, with increased reservation percentages for various categories. The bench suggested challenging the increased reservation before the high court, and Justice Khanna expressed concern about the public accessibility of the survey data breakdown. The court insisted that the entire breakdown should be in the public domain for effective challenges.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the Bihar government, assured that the data, including the breakdown, is available on the designated website for public scrutiny. Justice Khanna stressed the importance of making the complete breakdown public to facilitate challenges to the inferences drawn from the data.

The bench instructed Divan to file a report on the caste survey and scheduled further hearings for February 5. The court had previously questioned the Bihar government’s decision to publish the caste survey data and refused to restrain further data publication. The data, released on October 2, 2023, revealed the composition of OBCs and EBCs as 63% of the state’s population.

The BJP accused the Nitish Kumar government of irregularities and labeled the collected data as “fake.” The Supreme Court had earlier issued notices on pleas challenging the Patna High Court’s August 1, 2023, order approving the caste survey. The court rejected the petitioners’ request for a complete stay on further data publication and has been consistently emphasizing the need for a thorough examination of the legal aspects surrounding the caste survey.

Nunnem Gangte

Recent Posts

Rajasthan HC Quashes SC/ST Case Against Actress Shilpa Shetty

The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday quashed a complaint filed under the SC/ST (Prevention of…

19 hours ago

Allahabad HC Turns Down Appeal Seeking Appointment Of Receiver For Jaigurudev Sanstha

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday has dismissed an appeal filed by the Jaigurudev Dharma…

19 hours ago

Shivaji Statue Collapse Case: Bombay HC Grants Bail To Consultant Chetan Patil

The Bombay High Court granted bail to consultant Chetan Patil on Thursday in connection with…

20 hours ago

Excise Policy Case: Delhi HC Refuses To Stay Trial Against Arvind Kejriwal

The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to stay the trial proceedings against former Delhi…

21 hours ago

AP Assembly Passes Resolution To Set Up HC Bench In Kurnool

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution to establish a permanent High Court…

21 hours ago

Lesbian Couple Desiring Child Gets Bail In Kidnapping Of Minor Girl

The Bombay High Court on Thursday granted bail to a lesbian couple arrested for allegedly…

22 hours ago