SC refuses to entertain PIL questioning procedures to record caste of citizens in 2027 census
_vb_66.jpeg)
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL questioning the procedure to be adopted to record, classify and verify the caste data of citizens in the 2027 general census.
The top court, however, asked the Centre and the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India to consider the suggestions made by PIL petitioner Aakash Goel, an academician, on the issue.
Goel, represented by senior advocate Mukta Gupta, said a transparent questionnaire, to be used for recording, classifying and verifying the caste details of the citizens, has to be placed in public domain.
The senior advocate alleged that the Directorate of Census Operations has not disclosed the criteria for recording the caste identity of citizens "notwithstanding the acknowledgement that caste enumeration has extended beyond the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes this time”.
The bench told the PIL petitioner there is “no pre-determined data” to identify the caste data.
“The census exercise is regulated under the Census Act, 1958 and the 1990 Rules framed thereunder which empowers the respondent authorities to determine the particular and manners of census operations,” the bench noted.
“We have no reason to doubt that respondent authority with aid and assistance of domain experts must have evolved a robust mechanism in order to rule out any mistake as apprehended by the petitioner and several like-minded persons. We find the petitioner has raised some relevant issues through representation to the Registrar General of Census operations …as well,” the CJI said.
The bench said authorities may consider the suggestions raised in the legal notice and the petition and disposed of the PIL.
The 2027 Census, officially the 16th national census, will be the first to include comprehensive caste enumeration since 1931 and the country's first fully digital census.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bidar: YouTuber attempts suicide after accusing SP, other police officers of harassment on Facebook
Bidar: A YouTuber from the district reportedly attempted to commit suicide while going Live on Facebook to accuse police officers, including the Superintendent of Police, of continuously harassing him and and driving him to take the extreme step.
The YouTuber, Salman Khan, who runs the channel ‘Media in Truth’, stated on Thursday that he had been facing harassment from several officers, including the SP, for some time.
“I upload and share videos on a variety of issues on my YouTube channel. I shared all these videos with the SP too, yet, I was called to the SP’s office on the pretext of a peace meeting, where an attempt was made to assault me in front of everyone, completely damaging my dignity and reputation,” Khan has said on Facebook Live.
Speaking further, he said that he was asked why he posted so many videos related to the police.
Claiming that he was called and told to delete the clips, Khan said he was being harassed by the SP himself.
“The SP is misusing his powers and strangulating the truth. He has also harassed several other people in Bidar district,” he said.
He also questioned how the officer would treat others if a media person was being subjected to such harassment.
“I am being forced to close my YouTube channel as the SP is attempting to register a false case against me and he might also take my life. I therefore urge citizens to please take care of my family,” Khan said on Facebook Live before allegedly consuming drugs.
On Thursday night, Khan’s condition was reported to be critical. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences (BRIMS) Hospital.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
