The Patna High Court on Tuesday upheld the caste survey in Bihar by dismissing all petitions challenging the survey.
A bench headed by Chief Justice K. Vinod Chandran delivered the verdict on various petitions challenging the caste survey ordered by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.
Senior advocate Dinu Kumar, a counsel for one of the petitioners said that he will move the Supreme Court against the judgement.
"We do not know the details of the order which comes barely a few months after the court had stayed the survey. In the open court, the bench said it was rejecting all the petitions," he said.
"We will be able to say more once we get a copy of the judgement. Of course, the judgement implies that the state government can carry out the survey. We will move the Supreme Court, though," he added.
Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav expressed his joy over the HC decision.
"Our government's caste survey will yield authentic, credible and scientific data which will be of greatest benefit to OBCs, EBCs and the poor among all classes. It will be a huge and revolutionary step in the direction of economic justice", Yadav tweeted in Hindi.
Though BJP had extended its support to the caste survey earlier, it has been accused by RJD and Kumar's JD(U) of trying to impede the same to appease its upper caste vote base.
"We demand that the Centre undertake caste census. Why are those, who express false pride over having an OBC PM, do not want a headcount of the country's poor and backward majority", Yadav asked.
The survey was decided to be held in two phases. The first phase started in January this year, while the second phase began on April 15 which focused on gathering data related to people's caste and socio-economic conditions.
The survey was supposed to continue till May 15, however, the HC had stayed the survey on May 4.
The stay was sought by social outfits noting that the survey was actually a census, which can only be carried out by the Central government.
The matter had even reached the SC but it refused to interfere in the matter and referred them back to the HC.
Bihar CM had made it clear that the state is conducting a survey only by collecting information related to people's economic status so that the government can serve them better.
