Karnataka High Court Begins Hearing PILs Challenging Caste Census Amid Survey Rollout
Bengaluru, September 22, 2025 – As Karnataka embarked on its Socio-Economic and Educational Survey—widely known as the caste census—on Monday, September 22, 2025, the Karnataka High Court initiated hearings on a series of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) seeking to halt the ₹420 crore initiative. The division bench of Justice Anu Sivaraman and Justice Rajesh Rai K. heard arguments that the survey, designed to map caste, economic, and educational data for nearly 7 crore residents, exceeds state authority, infringes on privacy rights, and threatens social cohesion. While the court declined to issue an immediate stay, it directed the Karnataka government, the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC), the Union Home Ministry, and the Registrar General of India to submit responses by September 26, 2025, scheduling further hearings for September 29. The legal challenge adds uncertainty to the 15-day survey, which is already grappling with logistical delays in Bengaluru and technical issues in rural areas, as it aims to shape reservation policies and the 2026 state budget.
PILs: A Broad Constitutional Challenge
The PILs, lodged by the Rajya Vokkaliga Sangha, Akhila Karnataka Brahmana Mahasabha, advocates K.N. Subba Reddy, D.J. Naik, and others, target government orders dated August 13 and 22, 2025, issued by the KSCBC under Section 11(1) of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1995. These orders mandate the survey to update backward class lists, but petitioners argue it functions as a "caste census," a power reserved for the Union government under Entry 69 of List I in the Seventh Schedule and the Census Act, 1948.
"The state’s attempt to enumerate all castes is a clear overreach into the Centre’s exclusive domain," said Abhishek Kumar, counsel for the Vokkaliga Sangha, warning of legal and social repercussions.
The petitions raise multiple objections. First, they challenge the survey’s scope, which includes 1,561 castes and sub-castes—up from 1,400 in prior records—alleging the addition of "fictitious" or "artificially created" identities for political motives.
Second, the inclusion of 47 "Christian" sub-caste prefixes, such as Christian Vokkaliga or Christian Lingayat, has drawn sharp criticism. Advocate D.J. Naik called these entries "unconstitutional," arguing they encourage religious conversions by allowing converts to retain Hindu caste identities for reservation benefits, potentially violating Article 25’s freedom of religion and secular principles
A related PIL in the Dharwad Bench, filed by Ravi Janekal, demands the removal of these prefixes, citing the Supreme Court’s Shafin Jahan v. Asokan K.M. (2018) ruling on interfaith rights.Privacy violations form a third major concern. The survey links caste data to Aadhaar numbers, ration cards, phone numbers, and electricity meters through geo-tagging, raising fears of data misuse. Keerthi K. Reddy, representing the Brahmana Mahasabha, invoked the Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) judgment, arguing that collecting sensitive data from 2 crore households without robust safeguards breaches Article 21’s right to privacy.
Finally, petitioners criticized the survey’s compressed 15-day timeline (September 22–October 7, 2025), which coincides with Dasara festivities and agricultural activities, as "arbitrary and unscientific" compared to the Union’s multi-month census process.
They labeled the ₹420 crore exercise—₹325 crore of which covers enumerator honoraria—a potential "waste" risking social unrest.
| Key PIL Arguments | Details | Legal Basis |
| State Overreach | Survey is a caste census, exclusive to Union under Census Act, 1948. | Entry 69, List I, Seventh Schedule |
| Caste List Manipulation | 1,561 castes, including "new" ones, lack historical basis. | Articles 340, 342A |
| Christian Sub-Castes | 47 prefixes promote conversions, undermine secularism. | Article 25; Shafin Jahan (2018) |
| Privacy Breaches | Aadhaar-linked data collection without consent or security. | Article 21; Puttaswamy (2017) |
| Unscientific Timeline | 15-day survey during festivals is rushed, error-prone. | Ultra vires KSCBC Act, 1995 |
Court Proceedings: Notices Issued, No Stay Yet
In Monday’s hearing, the bench probed the petitioners’ locus standi and the survey’s legal foundation but refrained from halting the ongoing enumeration, noting the absence of the Advocate General.
KSCBC counsel defended the survey as a socio-economic and educational study, not a census, authorized under the 1995 Act to update backward class data. "The process is underway—1.55 crore household stickers are distributed, and it’s backed by the Supreme Court’s 2024 sub-caste quota ruling," they argued, urging dismissal of the PILs as politically motivated.
The state highlighted the survey’s alignment with Congress’s national push for proportional representation, as championed by Rahul Gandhi’s "jitni abadi, utna haq" slogan.
The court issued notices to the Union Home Ministry, Registrar General of India, KSCBC, and state officials, seeking affidavits by September 26. Applications for an interim stay will be considered on September 29, potentially disrupting the survey mid-rollout if granted. Over 1.5 lakh enumerators, primarily schoolteachers, are collecting data door-to-door, aiming for completion by October 7 and a final report by December 31, 2025.
Survey Context: A High-Stakes Political Move
The survey revives the contentious legacy of the 2015 Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, which was shelved after backlash from Lingayats and Vokkaligas over its findings: 70% OBCs, 17% SCs, 7% STs, 12.3% Muslims, and reduced shares for dominant castes (Vokkaligas 10.3%, Lingayats 11%).
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Congress government, reviving the effort in June 2025, aims to deliver empirical data for equitable reservations, but faces resistance from dominant castes fearing quota erosion. Vokkaliga leader and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar and Lingayat seers have rallied against the survey, particularly its Christian sub-caste entries, which they claim dilute Hindu identity.
The survey’s launch has been marred by logistical issues: Bengaluru’s enumeration is delayed by two days due to ward restructuring, and rural areas report technical glitches with the digital portal (schedulecastesurvey.karnataka.gov.in).
On X, the issue has exploded, with #KarnatakaCasteCensus trending at over 15,000 posts. BJP leaders like R. Ashoka labeled it a "Congress ploy to divide Hindus," while Dalit voices like @nethrapal demand accurate SC/ST counts.
Media outlet TV9 Kannada live-tweeted the hearings, amplifying the debate.
National and Political Implications
The Karnataka PILs echo challenges to Bihar’s 2023 caste survey, now under Supreme Court review for similar federal overreach claims.
With Karnataka’s reservation cap at 61%—exceeding the Supreme Court’s 50% limit via legal tweaks—the survey’s data could fuel demands for quota hikes, risking further litigation. The outcome of the September 29 hearing could halt the survey, derailing Congress’s social justice agenda ahead of the 2026 elections. Legal scholar Abhishek Kumar warned of "data-driven caste wars," while Siddaramaiah’s office insists the survey is a step toward equity. As enumerators press on, the Karnataka High Court’s gavel holds the key to a politically charged exercise that could redefine caste dynamics in India’s tech hub.
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