T.N. Assembly: Resolution urging Centre to undertake caste-based census adopted unanimously
The resolution said that a caste-based population census was essential to formulate policies to ensure equal rights and equal opportunities to all citizens
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, urging the Union government to conduct a caste-based census along with the general population census.
“This House considers that a caste-based population census is essential to formulate policies in order to ensure equal rights and equal opportunities in education, economy and employment to every citizen of India. This House, therefore, unanimously urges the Union government to commence the census work immediately, which has been due from 2021, along with a caste-based population census, this time,” the resolution said.
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Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) member R. Arul, who spoke during the debate, however, said he would not agree with the Chief Minister’s resolution, as the State government itself could conduct a caste-based census.
Law Minister S. Regupathy however said that though the State government could undertake the exercise of a caste-based census under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, the Census Act could override this.
Earlier, addressing the House, Mr. Stalin recalled the letter he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023, demanding a caste-based census along with the general census. “The decisions and acts of a State government can get legal protection only if they are done on the basis of data collected by the Centre. If State governments collect data through surveys, these may be stayed by the courts in the future,” he reasoned.
Mr. Stalin said that as per section 3 of the Census Act, only the Union government could conduct a census. He said though there was an argument that a State government could conduct a caste-based census as per the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, this Act actually only allowed the collection of data on socio-economic conditions.
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