Patna High Court upholds Bihar’s caste-based survey in the State

Patna HC upholds Bihar CBS: Court dismisses petitions against State Govt's decision to conduct survey. Allowed to continue, 1st phase of survey (house listing) conducted Jan 7-21, 2nd phase Apr 15-May 15. Cabinet & Assembly passed resolution in favour of survey, all parties met PM Modi to demand caste-based Census.

The Patna High Court on August 1 upheld the Bihar caste-based survey (CBS) in the State.

A division bench of Chief Justice K.V. Chandran dismissed the petitions filed against the decision of the State Government to conduct the survey. The court allowed the State government to continue with the survey in Bihar.

The Patna High Court on May 4 had stayed the caste-based census in its interim order while hearing a petition challenging and seeking an interim stay on the caste survey in Bihar.

The first phase of the survey, which involved house listing exercise, was carried out from 7 January to 21 January and the second phase began on 15 April and was supposed to be concluded on 15 May.

Earlier on June 2, 2022, the State cabinet had approved the all-party demand for a caste-based survey in the State, including gathering information on the socio-economic status of households. The Bihar legislative Assembly too had earlier passed a unanimous resolution in favour of caste-based survey. Later, leaders of all political parties, including the BJP, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand a caste-based Census in the country.