Bengaluru, 1 May

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the Centre decided to conduct caste census keeping Bihar assembly elections in mind.

The Centre’s move was a result of the pressure built by the Congress, especially its former president Rahul Gandhi, who also sought to know the date when the enumeration process would start in the country.

“The hurry in which the BJP led Centre took the decision regarding caste census on 30 April made me believe that it was done in view of Bihar assembly elections,” Siddaramaiah said.

The chief minister insisted that the 50 per cent ceiling on reservation should be relaxed.

Reservation should be given to SC/ST, OBC and minorities after due analysis of their socio-economic and education status.

The verdict mandating 50 per cent ceiling was given in 1992 in the Indra Sawhney case. The Supreme Court while hearing about the Mandal Commission introduced ceiling on reservation, he explained.

The state government cannot revise the ceiling on the reservation because it is the Centre’s domain. It can only recommend.

Siddaramaiah said the social and educational survey recommendations in the Karnataka government’s caste census report will be implemented.

The survey report prepared by the Backward Class Commission will be discussed in a state cabinet meeting on 9 May.

In a major decision, the Centre on 30 April announced that caste enumeration will be included in the forthcoming census exercise in a 'transparent' manner.

Bihar, Telangana and Karnataka have conducted such surveys.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also urged the Centre to allocate sufficient funds and fix a time limit for the caste enumeration in the next census.

The AICC chief however, did not think that the Centre announced the caste census keeping in mind the upcoming Bihar polls.