Caste census report is 'most scientific': Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara
Bengaluru, Apr 19 (PTI): Terming the caste census as a "most scientific" exercise, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said the cabinet will take a decision on its implementation after hearing opinion of all the ministers.
His comments come amidst opposition to the survey report from various sections of the society calling it "unscientific". They have demanded that it be rejected, and a fresh survey be conducted.
A special cabinet meeting convened to deliberate on the caste census report on Thursday had ended inconclusive, reportedly amid internal differences within the government.
The cabinet is scheduled to take up the matter again on May 2.
"All ministers have been asked to share their opinion, some of us have participated in the discussion during the cabinet, the discussion will continue, everyone will share their opinion. After hearing everyone's opinion the cabinet will take a decision. It is going to be a cabinet decision, not individuals or the Chief Minister's," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, some communities have expressed concern that their population strength has been shown less in the survey.
Stating that after studying the survey, he feels that this is one of the "most scientific" exercise, Parameshwara said, the survey has gone to the extent of gathering information whether the borewell dug by a person was successful with adequate amount of water or whether it turned out to be dry.
"Signatures have been taken after gathering data from every household and supervisor's signatures are also there. These data are available. 1.37 crore families were visited and all the data with signatures are there," he added.
According to sources, some Ministers expressed reservations about the survey report during the cabinet meeting on Thursday, citing concerns expressed from several quarters calling it unscientific and outdated, and about undercounting. Following this Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked all Ministers to give their opinion in writing or verbally.
Various communities, especially Karnataka's two dominant ones -- Vokkaligas and Veershaiva Lingayats -- have expressed strong reservations about the survey that has been done, calling it "unscientific", and have demanded that it be rejected, and a fresh survey be conducted.
Objections have also been raised by various sections of society, and there are also strong voices against it from within the ruling Congress.
However, not everyone is opposed. Leaders and organisations representing Dalits and some sections of OBCs, among others, are in support of it, and want the government to make the survey report public and proceed with it, stating the government has spent about Rs 160 crore public money on it.
Responding to a question on the opposition's criticism that the report was written sitting at some corner, the Home Minister said, the opposition makes such criticism, and the government has taken note of their criticism and comments.
The main intention and terms of reference for this survey was to study the status of various communities socially, eductionally and economically, and during the survey they have naturally collected data regarding the population of communities, and it has been submitted to the government.
"It is being discussed in the government, ultimately after accepting it the government will prepare programmes and schemes based on it," he added.
Asked if the caste census data was so accurate, why the same data is not being used to provide internal reservation among Scheduled Castes (SCs), instead of going for a fresh survey for that purpose, Parameshwara said, the Justice H N Nagmohan Das Commission which has been mandated to gather empirical data for internal reservation, will compare caste census data too.
"The Nagmohan Das commission was given the mandate for a survey before this caste census report came, there is no need to withdraw it now as it may lead to confusion, it will be good if there are double reports," he said responding to a question about some Vokkaliga and Lingayat Ministers questioning why can't there be a fresh caste census survey, when a separate survey was being done to gather data for internal reservation in a particular community (SCs).
Nagmohan Das Commission has been given two months time for the survey, based on which the government plans to implement internal reservation among SCs. The internal reservation is aimed at slicing up the 17 per cent reservation matrix given to 101 scheduled castes.
Commenting on the incidents, where some students were allegedly asked to remove their Janivaras (sacred thread worn by Brahmins) before entering the CET examination hall at centres in Bidar and Shivamogga districts, the Home Minister said, "it is a big mistake and I can't accept such things."
"Some general guidelines would have been given for conducting exams, will any one instruct such things in guidelines? These acts by individuals are not acceptable," he added.
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High courts upheld only 8 per cent of death sentences; SC confirms none in recent years: Report
New Delhi (PTI): Highlighting that a high acquittal rate of death row convicts by the Supreme Court and high courts demonstrates a pattern of "erroneous or unjustified convictions", a study of 10 years of death penalty data has revealed that the top court did not confirm any death sentences in recent years.
The study by Square Circle Clinic, a criminal laws advocacy group with the NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, found that an overwhelming majority of death sentences imposed by trial courts did not withstand scrutiny at higher judicial levels. Acquittals far outnumbered confirmations at both the high courts and Supreme Court levels.
According to the report, the trial courts across India awarded 1,310 death sentences in 822 cases between 2016 and 2025. High courts considered 842 of these sentences in confirmation proceedings but upheld only 70 or 8.31 per cent.
In contrast, 258 death sentences (30.64 per cent) resulted in acquittals. The study noted that the acquittal rate at the high court level was nearly four times the confirmation rate.
Data showed that of the 70 death sentences confirmed by high courts, the Supreme Court decided 38 and did not uphold a single one. The apex court has confirmed no death sentences between 2023 and 2025.
"Wrongful or erroneous or unjustified convictions, then, are not random or freak accidents in the Indian criminal justice system. The data indicates they are a persistent and serious systemic concern," the report said.
Over the last decade, high courts adjudicated 1,085 death sentences in 647 cases, confirming only 106 (9.77 per cent). During this period, 326 persons in 191 cases, were acquitted.
The report attributed low confirmation rates to the appellate judiciary’s concerns regarding failures in due process. "This coincides with increased Supreme Court scrutiny of safeguards at the sentencing stage," the report said.
Of the 153 death sentences decided by the apex court over the last decade, the accused were acquitted in 38 cases. In 2025 alone, high courts overturned death sentences into acquittals in 22 out of 85 cases (over 25 per cent). The same year, Supreme Court acquitted accused persons in more than half of the death penalty cases it decided (10 out of 19), the report said.
The study highlighted that 364 persons who were ultimately acquitted "should not even have been convicted and unjustifiably suffered the trauma of death row". It added that such failures extend beyond adjudication and reflect serious lapses in investigation and prosecution.
The question of remedies for wrongful convictions remains pending before the Supreme Court. In September 2025, three persons acquitted by the apex court filed writ petitions seeking compensation from the state and argued that their wrongful convictions violated their fundamental right to life and liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
"In 2022, the Supreme Court crystallised a sentencing process in Manoj v. State of Madhya Pradesh , and mandated all courts to follow those guidelines before imposing or confirming a death sentence," the report read.
In 2025, the apex court held in Vasanta Sampat Dupare v. Union of India that death penalty sentencing hearings form part of the right to a fair trial and stressed that capital punishment can be imposed only after a constitutionally compliant sentencing process.
"However, even at the high courts whether the process mandated under Manoj is being complied with is in doubt,” the report said.
