Karnataka's Caste Census Sparks Debate Amid Calls for New Survey

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the pending tabling of the state’s caste census report at the next Cabinet meeting. Initially scheduled for January, the contentious survey faces opposition from dominant communities who question its legitimacy, calling for a new analysis. Completed in 2016, it faced prolonged delays thereafter.

Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Friday that the report on the state's caste census will be tabled at the next Cabinet meeting.

The Karnataka Socio-Economic and Education Survey, dubbed the 'caste census,' was originally set for a Cabinet presentation on January 16. Siddaramaiah clarified that the report wasn't tabled in the current meeting but would be in the forthcoming one. He admitted to reporters a lack of knowledge about the report's details since it has not been disclosed yet.

The caste census remains a contentious topic, particularly with dominant communities like the Lingayats and Vokkaligas, who deem the survey 'unscientific' and demand a fresh assessment. Initially commissioned by the Congress government in 2015 and helmed by H Kantharaju, the survey faced delays despite completion in 2016. The BJP government later received a final report from Jayaprakash Hegde in 2024, based on comprehensive data collected statewide.

(With inputs from agencies.)