CM receives BC panel’s caste survey report

BENGALURU Chief government minister Siddaramaiah on midweek received the “ societal and Educational appraise cover” prepared by the State Backward Classes Commission at Vidhana Soudha, bringing back into focus a decade-old caste enumeration exercise that continues to shape political tensions in Karnataka.The report was handed over to chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh in Siddaramaiah’s presence by commission chairman Madhusudan R Naik at a time when political uncertainty has gripped the ruling Congress, with speculation mounting over a possible leadership change in the state.Naik dismissed suggestions that the timing of the submission was connected to developments within the Congress or reports that Siddaramaiah could step down to make way for deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar.“Some members said they would not be able to attend on that date and requested that the matter be completed earlier. Therefore, we held the meeting on Wednesday. It may be a coincidence that there have been some political developments that may have taken place, but it has nothing to do with our functioning,” Naik told reporters.The submission revives the unresolved political legacy of the 2015 socio economic and educational survey commissioned during Siddaramaiah’s earlier tenure as chief minister. Conducted at a reported cost of ₹162 crore, the exercise attempted to map Karnataka’s caste composition through one of the largest state-level enumeration efforts undertaken in the country.Although the survey was completed years ago, its findings became politically explosive after sections of dominant communities, particularly Vokkaligas and Lingayats, objected to the reported demographic estimates and questioned the methodology used during enumeration.Leaked figures from the survey indicated that Scheduled Castes accounted for 19.5% of Karnataka’s population, Muslims 16%, Lingayats 14% and Vokkaligas 11%, while Kurubas made up 7%. Other Backward Classes were collectively estimated at around 20%, with SCs, STs, Muslims and Kurubas together accounting for nearly 47.5% of the state’s population.Those numbers unsettled established political assumptions in Karnataka, where Lingayats and Vokkaligas have historically remained among the state’s most influential communities in electoral politics and power structures. Opposition to the report grew steadily as leaders from both communities argued that the findings understated their numerical strength and could affect reservation policy, political representation and allocation of benefits.Shivakumar, a prominent Vokkaliga leader within the Congress, publicly backed demands for a fresh caste survey rather than acceptance of the earlier findings. A representation submitted by the Vokkaligara Sangha on November 15 last year and endorsed by Shivakumar along with ministers and MLAs, directly challenged the report’s credibility.“The survey is incomplete because the report says they visited 5.4 crore people across Karnataka. According to available Aadhaar numbers, there are 6.9 crore people in the state, so the report is evidently incomplete. If the government accepts this report, it will be an injustice to the Vokkaliga community,” the letter stated.The representation further alleged that survey teams had failed to visit every household and had instead “fabricated details and numbers”.The deadlock over the report eventually led the Congress leadership to back a second caste survey exercise. Within political circles, some leaders privately interpreted the decision as a way to defer a politically costly conclusion on the original report without formally discarding it. Others argued that a fresh exercise was necessary to answer objections raised by influential communities and establish wider acceptance for any future policy decisions based on caste data.Naik said the Commission had completed the survey around six months ago and spent months analysing the material with expert assistance before finalising the report. “We were analysing the survey and preparing the report with the help of experts. The report has been ready for about a month. But I had prepared it in English. Since the government’s official language is Kannada, it had to be translated, which took time,” he said.According to Naik, the Commission had initially intended to convene on May 29 to finalise the submission but pre-poned the meeting after some members indicated they would not be available on that date. “All the members had already agreed to the report that we had prepared earlier. Today’s meeting was only to fine-tune it and read through it once again. In the meeting, everybody reiterated their consent and said we could proceed,” he said.He also sought to temper expectations that submission of the report would automatically lead to implementation. “When the report is received by the government, it may have to go before the Cabinet. The Cabinet will take a call. Once the Cabinet accepts the report, if it accepts it, then it has to be made into a law through a government order. Or it may go before the Assembly for approval,” he said.Siddaramaiah has consistently defended caste enumeration and aligned himself with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has advocated nationally for caste-based data collection as a foundation for redistribution and social justice.A Congress leader familiar with the developments said the report’s return to the government could place the next administration in a politically difficult position. “Receiving the report would mean the cabinet will have to discuss it, and it would anger the dominant communities, particularly Vokkaligas whom Shivakumar represents. It will be a tough call,” the leader said.(With PTI inputs)