CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday refused to issue any direction to the state government regarding conduct of caste-based census saying that such exercise is the prerogative of the State. When a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking orders to the government to hold the drive came up for hearing, the first bench of Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said the court could not issue any such orders.
The bench also pointed out the fact that the Supreme Court had neither issued a positive direction on caste-based census nor any order against such drive when petitions regarding the matter were filed before it.
However, the bench said the petitioner can approach the concerned government authorities to press for taking action as per a representation he submitted on February 10.
The petition was filed by M Muniasamy, president of Tamil Nadu Legal Safety Movement and a former additional government pleader. Saying that more than 3,000 castes are there in Tamil Nadu, he noted that sub-castes are merged into one single social entity and stressed that a caste-based census would help the people in the lower strata of the society get the benefits of reservation in employment opportunities and help eradicate poverty.