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.
Human skull, skeletal remains found in abandoned water tank in Vasai
Palghar (PTI): A human skull and skeletal remains were found in a 30-year-old abandoned water tank in Vasai in Palghar while the structure was being demolished, a police official said on Monday.
The tank is located in Manickpur area, Assistant Commissioner of Police Umesh Mane Patil said.
"The skull and skeletal remains were found when the tank was being demolished late Saturday night. A forensic team and police personnel reached the area after being alerted. The remains have been sent to the laboratory for detailed examination and DNA profiling," the ACP said.
A shirt and pair of trousers were also found at the site on Sunday and it is hoped that specific markings on them will help in identifying the deceased, he added.
"Three hawkers were choked to death in the same locality last year. We will check if there is a link. The Manickpur police is checking missing person records of the last five years," the official said.
At present, the Mira-Bhayandar Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police has registered an accidental death report.
