Karnataka HC Allows Caste Survey, Orders Strict Confidentiality

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday refused to halt the state’s ongoing socio-economic and educational survey, commonly known as the caste survey, but directed the government to enforce strict safeguards on its conduct and data handling.

A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Joshi ruled that the exercise may proceed, provided that all data remains confidential and is not disclosed to any third party. The court further ordered that survey participants must be clearly informed their involvement is voluntary, with enumerators barred from pressuring or persuading individuals who decline to respond.

“The Commission shall ensure that data is fully protected and kept confidential. A public notification must clarify that participation in this survey is voluntary and no person is obligated to disclose any information,” the bench observed. The Commission has been asked to file an affidavit within one working day, outlining measures taken to safeguard the information collected.

The state government, defending the survey earlier this week, argued that the Union government was taking contradictory positions. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Karnataka, said the Centre itself brought the 105th Constitutional Amendment in 2021 to restore states’ power to identify backward classes. He alleged that the current challenge to the survey was politically motivated since a different party governs the state.