Democracy gets stronger with Census, including for caste, says U.P. Deputy CM

UP Deputy CM Maurya says counting is key to democracy, whether it be vote counting, National Census, or caste census. Many parties in UP demand caste census, but govt declines due to Article 246 of Indian Constitution, which provides for who gets to make laws.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on December 2 said that Census taking, including a potential caste census, always plays significant role in strengthening democracy.

“In democracy, counting plays the most significant role, whether it be vote counting, the National Census or a caste census. Counting makes democracy stronger. Democracy, itself means counting,” Mr. Maurya, a leading Other Backward Classes (OBC) face of the BJP, wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 

Many political parties in U.P., including the Opposition Samajwadi Party, the Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party, and even BJP allies like the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party and the Apna Dal (Sonelal) are demanding for a caste census exercise in U.P. The demand has been continually declined by the government in the State Assembly under the premise that the States cannot conduct a Census.

“Article 246 of the Indian Constitution provides for who gets to make laws. The right to conduct any Census rests with the Parliament of India and the State cannot conduct it instead. A law has also been made regarding this,” said U.P. Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, on the floor of the State Assembly, during the recently concluded Winter Session.