The petitioner had asked the court to direct the Centre to halt the caste Census exercise.
The Supreme Court of India. (File)
The Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking to stop the proposed caste Census, stating that it found no merit in the plea. The bench dismissed the public interest litigation (PIL) at the outset, signalling that it would not interfere with the government’s plan.
During the hearing, the court strongly criticised the tone and wording used in the petition. Chief Justice Surya Kant, who was heading the bench, questioned the petitioner, who appeared in person, over the language used in the filing.
“‘Aapne apne petition me badtameezi ki bhasha likhi hai. Aapne kisse apna petition likhwaya hai’ (You have written indecent language in your petition. Who has written your petition?),” the Chief Justice said.
He further added, “‘Aap kahan se aisi bhasha likhte ho petition me (From where you write such language in your petition),” while raising concerns about how the plea had been drafted.
The bench also comprised Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi.
What The Petition Sought?
The petitioner had asked the court to direct the Centre to halt the caste Census exercise. It also urged the government to introduce policies encouraging single-child families through economic benefits.
However, the court did not accept these arguments and dismissed the plea.
Issue Raised Earlier
This is not the first time the matter has reached the apex court. On February 2, another PIL on similar lines was rejected. That petition had raised concerns about how caste data would be collected, categorised and verified in the upcoming Census.
About The 2027 Census
The 2027 Census will be India’s 16th national Census. It is expected to be the first since 1931 to include detailed caste data. The exercise is also set to be conducted entirely in a digital format, marking a significant shift in how population data is collected in the country.
April 10, 2026, 17:01 IST
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