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A bench of Justice L. Nageswara Rao and Justice B.R. Gavai today adjourned the hearing for four weeks on a plea seeking directions for caste-based census for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the 16th Indian Census which will be taken this year. 

Noting that one other similar petition is pending before another bench as well, Court directed the instant matter to be listed along with the same after four weeks. 

The petitioner, Krishan Kanhaya Pal, a practicing advocate at the Allahabad High Court, in his petition, which was filed in September last year but got listed after a long time, Pal states that caste-based census of the OBCs is a 'vital necessity'.

Pal has reasoned that though the Central Government and State Governments are introducing and implementing multiple schemes for the socio-politico-economic development of backward castes, they are unable to share the benefits with all sections among backward castes due to lack of caste based survey.

Importantly, Pal's plea avers that the majority of society's mainstream media and opinion-makers are trying their best to delegitimize the rationality of caste-based census but the opponents of caste enumeration lack any novel argument.

Further stressing that after the year 1931, the condition and population of other backward castes have changed, Pal's plea states that now a caste-based census of the OBCs is mandatory for the socio-economic development of more than 52 percent of the population of India.

Case Title: Krishan Kanhaya Pal Advocate v. Union of India & Ors.