The case regarding the release of caste census data by the Bihar government has reached the Supreme Court, with the petitioner bringing this matter before the court. The Supreme Court has stated that it will hear the case on October 6th and, for now, refrains from making any comments on it.
The petitioner’s counsel mentioned that the Bihar government has made the data from the caste-based population census public. The Supreme Court responded that it would not provide any comments on the matter at this stage and scheduled a hearing for October 6th, during which they would listen to your arguments.
It is worth noting that the Bihar government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, recently released the findings of the long-awaited caste-based population census on Monday. The results revealed that the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) make up 63% of the state’s total population.
What is the breakdown of caste-based population census data in Bihar?
According to the figures released by Bihar’s Development Commissioner Vivek Singh, the total population of the state is slightly over 130.7 million, with EBCs being the largest social category at 36%. Following that, OBCs account for 27.13%. The survey also indicated that the Yadav community, which falls under the OBC category, constitutes 14.27% of the state’s total population. Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav is associated with this community. The Yadavs are the most populous community in the state in terms of population. The Bihar government ordered the caste-based census last year when the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that it could not include the enumeration of other castes as part of the general population census.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar revealed that on June 2, 2022, the cabinet had approved it. He said that based on this, the state government conducted a caste-based population census with its resources. The caste-based census has not only revealed information about the castes but also provided insights into the economic conditions of all sections of the population. Based on this, priority actions will be taken for the development and upliftment of all groups.
The Chief Minister also stated that a meeting would be convened shortly for the nine parties represented in the Bihar Legislative Assembly to discuss the caste-based population census conducted in Bihar. They will be informed about the results of the caste-based population census.
