Karnataka Cabinet Defers Caste Census Decision, Will Reconvene on May 2
A special meeting of the Karnataka Cabinet convened to deliberate on the long-awaited Socio-Economic Survey, commonly referred to as the caste census, ended without a conclusive decision. The cabinet, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, will reconvene on May 2 at Male Mahadeshwara Hills to continue discussions.
Ministers have been asked to submit their views in writing or orally before the next session. “There was no dispute or dissatisfaction. It was a very peaceful meeting,” Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy told reporters, adding that the Chief Minister wanted more feedback from the council.
Law Minister H.K. Patil said the meeting involved elaborate discussions, but the Cabinet could not conclude as additional technical details were still awaited.
“We had an elaborate and detailed discussion on the report. However, we felt more information and technical details are essential for a complete and informed discussion,” Patil said.
He further dismissed speculation regarding disagreements over the methodology or findings of the survey, stating, “There is no doubt about the parameters used, but some misconceptions are being spread about the population figures.”
The survey reportedly covered 94.17% of Karnataka’s population. Ministers discussed the indicators used to assess backwardness and population share across communities, though the process remains incomplete.
Rahim Khan, Minister of Municipal Administration, expressed concerns that the figures presented in the survey did not reflect the current population share of certain communities.
“The numbers shown for our community are lower than reality… The percentage has dropped by 0.5 per cent compared to a decade ago. It should have increased, not decreased,” Khan said, attributing the controversy to BJP’s political targeting.
Khan also noted that several ministers were yet to present their views and that the discussion was only halfway through.
The caste census, formally the Social and Educational Survey, was conducted in 2015 by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes under the Congress government. Despite repeated demands, its findings were not made public for nearly a decade. The current Congress-led administration revived the conversation amid calls for better representation and reservation reforms based on empirical caste data.
While caste census remains a politically sensitive subject nationally, Karnataka is among the few states that have taken concrete steps to quantify caste-based demographics.
The Cabinet will reconvene on May 2, when ministers are expected to present detailed inputs. The government has not indicated a timeline for releasing the report to the public or announcing policy decisions based on its findings. Officials maintain that transparency and consensus will guide the final outcome.
