Karnataka High Court Issues Notices to Centre and State on PILs Challenging Socio-Economic Survey’s Legality
Bengaluru
The Karnataka High Court has issued notices to both the State and Central governments over a series of public interest litigation (PIL) petitions challenging the legality of the proposed Socio-Economic and Educational Survey. The survey, scheduled to begin on September 22, has drawn criticism from several organizations and individuals who allege it lacks constitutional backing.
On Friday, a division bench comprising Justice Anu Sivaraman and Justice Rajesh Rai K. passed the order while hearing petitions filed by the Rajya Vokkaliga Sangha, Akhila Karnataka Brahmana Maha Sabha, advocate K.N. Subba Reddy, and other petitioners. The bench has sought responses from the governments before the next hearing.
The petitioners have questioned whether the State has the authority to conduct such an extensive socio-economic survey, claiming that it infringes upon the legislative and administrative domain of the Union government. They also expressed concerns that the survey could lead to misuse of caste-related data for political purposes, potentially fueling social divisions.
The court will consider the interim plea for a stay on the survey at its next hearing on September 22, just before the scheduled commencement. This move comes amid heightened political debates across Karnataka, with ruling and opposition parties sparring over the relevance and timing of the survey. The outcome of the case is expected to have significant implications, as the survey is seen as a precursor to discussions on caste census and the allocation of resources based on socio-economic indicators.
