Kerala Government Hints at No Immediate Plans for Socio-Economic Caste Census

In a recent development, the Kerala government has hinted that it is currently not planning to conduct a Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) in the state, according to an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court. The state argued that the responsibility for carrying out a Socio-Economic and Education Survey, popularly known as a caste census, lies with the Central government. This revelation came in response to a contempt petition filed by an NGO, Minority Indians Planning and Vigilance Commission Trust, which expressed concerns over the delay in completing the SECC to revise the list of backward classes. The chief secretary, Dr V Venu, filed the affidavit, emphasizing that there is no need for a separate caste census as the Central government had already recorded relevant data during the 2011 census. While the Kerala government remains hesitant, it has indicated that it won’t object to a caste census if the Supreme Court mandates it.

The issue surrounding the SECC has been ongoing, with the Kerala High Court previously directing both the Centre and State governments to decide on the finalization of a socio-economic study to ascertain backward classes. The court instructed them to submit a report to the State Commission for Backward Classes. Despite the Centre releasing the 2011 SECC data last year, the chief secretary, in the filed affidavit, asserted that the provided data is insufficient for identifying individuals belonging to socially and educationally backward classes. The state’s stance on conducting a caste census may evolve, depending on the Supreme Court’s decision and the subsequent response from the Central government in this matter.