The Karnataka High Court has decided not to put a halt on the state's ongoing caste-based survey. However, the court has clearly instructed the state government to keep the collected data confidential and emphasized that taking part in the survey is completely voluntary.What This Means:On Thursday, a division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Joshi stated that they found no reason to stop the survey from proceeding But, they made it very clear: “We make it clear that the data collected shall not be disclosed to anyone.”The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC) is now responsible for ensuring that all collected data remains absolutely secure and confidential.The High Court also directed that a public announcement be made, informing everyone that this survey is voluntary and no one can be forced to provide any informationThis message must also be conveyed by the enumerators themselves to the publicThe court insisted that this clarification should be given right at the start of the survey process, and officials cannot pressure anyone who chooses not to participate The commission has also been asked to submit an affidavit within a day, outlining the steps they'll take to protect the data.Opposition to the Caste Survey:This caste census in Karnataka has faced some strong opposition, with critics worried it could be used for political gain. Earlier this week, the Karnataka government defended its survey, arguing that the central government was taking a contradictory stance. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the state, pointed out that the Union government itself enacted the 105th Constitutional Amendment in 2021, which restored states' rights to identify and list backward classes Singhvi told the court that after implementing this amendment, the center is now backing the petitioners simply because a different political party is in power in the state.
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