On June 26, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution requesting the central government to conduct a caste census along with the general census. The general census, which occurs every 10 years, was supposed to take place in 2021 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
DMK’s Demand and Political Context
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government’s demand for a caste census is not surprising, as it was one of the key issues of the INDIA alliance. However, the proposal to have the Centre conduct this census has raised several questions.
The Question of State-Level Caste Survey
The main question that arises is why the Tamil Nadu government cannot conduct a state-level caste survey, as states like Karnataka and Bihar have already done so. This question was also raised in the Assembly. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin responded that a ‘census’ can only be conducted by the Centre as it falls under the Union List, and only ‘socio-economic data’ can be collected under the Statistics Collection Act. He further stated that this Act prohibits the collection of population data.
Patna High Court’s Decision and Bihar’s Example
The DMK referenced the Patna High Court’s ruling that invalidated Bihar’s attempt to raise reservation to 65%. This decision came after Bihar, under a JD(U)-RJD coalition, conducted a caste survey and subsequently increased quotas. The court found this increase unconstitutional, as it exceeded the 50% cap set by the Supreme Court. This case highlights the complexities of using caste surveys to justify reservation increases. The DMK likely cited this example to illustrate potential legal challenges in implementing caste-based policies, even with survey data, and to justify their cautious approach in Tamil Nadu.
Opposition’s Accusation and DMK’s Response
However, opposition parties in the state such as All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) argue that the state government can conduct a caste survey if it wishes. BJP state president K. Annamalai and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami demanded answers from the DMK, asking why they didn’t extend the tenure of the Justice Kulasekaran Committee, which was established during the AIADMK-BJP rule to collect data on castes.
Potential Controversy and DMK’s Concern
The DMK has not given a solid response to this issue, which was expected. Some believe that the DMK may want to avoid potential controversy, as happened in Karnataka after the caste survey. This survey was particularly opposed by Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities, as it showed their population share to be relatively low.
Potential Controversy in Tamil Nadu
There’s no guarantee that similar issues won’t arise in Tamil Nadu, where there are several numerically and politically significant castes like Vanniyar, Thevar, Gounder, or Nadar. Data from a state-conducted survey may not be accepted by courts for increasing reservation or the survey itself could be challenged.
Court’s Final Observation and Current Situation
However, the DMK government should consider that the Patna High Court ultimately ruled that the Bihar government was competent to conduct the survey, despite initially staying it.
Although the matter is now before the Supreme Court and no final decision has been made yet, given the Patna High Court’s final observation and the fact that other states have done it, there doesn’t seem to be anything preventing Chief Minister Stalin from conducting the survey.
Conclusion
Thus, the DMK government is trying to shift responsibility to the Centre, while they have sufficient reasons and legal basis to conduct a caste survey at the state level. It will be important to see what steps are taken on this issue in the coming time and how it affects politics at both state and national levels.
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