The decision follows a high-level meeting convened by the Congress central leadership in Delhi. The fresh survey is expected to be carried out within 60 to 80 days and will “ensure fairness and inclusivity”, Shivakumar said.
Published Jun 10, 2025 | 8:12 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 10, 2025 | 8:52 PM
The socioeconomic and educational survey was first announced in 2015 during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s first term.
Synopsis: The Congress government in Karnataka has decided to re-conduct the caste census to address concerns raised by the Lingayat and Vokkaliga castes about discrepancies in the previous census, with a fresh survey expected to be conducted in 60–80 days. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and senior AICC leaders in Delhi.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced on Tuesday, 10 June that the state government will re-enumerate caste data to address concerns raised by various communities about discrepancies in the previous census, conducted over a decade ago.
The fresh survey is expected to be carried out within 60 to 80 days and will “ensure fairness and inclusivity”, Shivakumar said.
“Like the recent enumeration of Scheduled Castes, we plan to carry out updated data collection for other communities as well,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah added.
The decision follows a high-level meeting convened by the Congress central leadership in Delhi, attended by Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala.
“The party high command has directed us to give an opportunity to every section of society… My chief minister will soon announce the dates, since several departments and officials are involved in the process,” Shivakumar said after the meeting.
“Even those living outside Karnataka will be allowed to register online – a great opportunity. A very transparent model will be there.”
On reservations for backward classes, he stated, “Whatever the Congress party and government decide, we will go by them.”
Meanwhile, KC Venugopal acknowledged that the original caste census was a ‘little bit old’.
“There are some apprehensions from communities about the counting in the previous caste census. The census was done by the Karnataka government 10 years ago – the data is a little old. The Congress party suggested to the CM to conduct a re-enumeration within a stipulated time,” he said.
The socioeconomic and educational survey was first announced in 2015 during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s first term.
Well over a decade in the making, the ₹165-crore survey, prepared by the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission under then-chairman HK Kantharaj, was only submitted to the chief minister in February 2024 – after Siddaramaiah returned to power for a second term – by current chairman KJ Jayaprakash Hegde.
While fulfilling the caste survey was among the Congress’s 2023 poll promises, it has been less than straightforward.
The report’s recommended 51 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), stating that OBCs comprise 70 percent (4.16 crore) of Karnataka’s population, has stirred controversy among the state’s dominant castes, the Vokkaligas and the Lingayats.
Opposition BJP and JD(S) leaders have deemed the report “unscientific,” accusing it of undercounting the numbers of the two prominent communities.
The meeting also addressed the recent stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadium during an RCB victory celebration, which claimed 11 young lives and left over 50 others injured.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who also heads the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, briefed the AICC leadership about the incident and the action taken by the government post-incident.
“We held a detailed meeting on political developments in Karnataka, the stadium incident, and how to take the state forward,” Shivakumar said.
“There was a discussion, there was guidance. My party is very concerned about the deaths. We explained what happened, and they know the actual facts.”
Responding to speculation that the Bengaluru stampede incident may be raised in Parliament, Siddaramaiah remarked, “Let the Centre first discuss in Parliament the stampede at the Kumbh Mela and the collapse of a bridge inaugurated by the Prime Minister that led to fatalities. The Bengaluru incident is tragic and deeply saddening, especially due to the loss of young lives. But isn’t the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh also accountable for the deaths during the Kumbh Mela stampede?”
Venugopal reiterated the party’s stance on accountability, stating that the state government had ordered a judicial inquiry.
“We are very much concerned about every human life. An unfortunate incident happened, and the Karnataka government has ordered a judicial enquiry to find out what exactly occurred,” he said.
“The party is clearly of the view that there should be a clear-cut pro-people attitude on this issue.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
