Finally, Cabinet accepts census report; discussion at next meeting

Nearly a decade after the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes completed the Socio-economic and Educational Survey (caste census) of families in the State, the Cabinet on Friday accepted the report — running into 50 volumes — which will now be discussed in detail at the special Cabinet meeting on April 17.

Nearly a decade after the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes completed the Socio-economic and Educational Survey (caste census) of families in the State, the Cabinet on Friday accepted the report — running into 50 volumes — which will now be discussed in detail at the special Cabinet meeting on April 17.

The report is derived out of the data collected during the survey conducted by the commission headed by H. Kantharaj in 2015, at the cost of ₹192 crore, but submitted by his successor K. Jayaprakash Hegde in 2024, was opened at the Cabinet meeting.

“Some Ministers wanted to see the recommendation in the report before the discussion. The survey that was submitted today will be discussed on April 17,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told presspersons after the Cabinet meeting.

Multiple sources confirmed that Ministers belonging to the Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities, which are opposed to the survey and have termed it “unscientific”, cautioned the Chief Minister not to be in a hurry to approve the report.

The Ministers are learnt to have reminded the Chief Minister of the political ramifications of the report becoming public without discussion and urged him to take all communities into confidence. The Ministers also asked for the report/recommendations before a discussion could take place, it is learnt, following which, the Chief Minister said that the copies would be circulated among the Ministers.

Minister for Backward Classes Shivaraj Tangadagi told presspersons during the post-Cabinet briefing that there was no opposition to the report being submitted and the decision to discuss in the next Cabinet was unanimous.

The 50 volumes, the Minister said, included the outcome of the survey report, one volume of caste-wise population, eight volumes of characteristics of castes (barring Scheduled Castes-SC/ Scheduled Tribes-ST), one volume each of characteristics of SCs and STs, Legislative Assembly-wise caste break-up of data and 30 volumes of district-wise and taluk-wise data. As many as 1,351 castes and subcastes had been enumerated in the report.