AHINDA-Chaluvali Urges PM Modi to Hold Population and Caste Census Together, Seeks Action on Backward-Class Representation
Bengaluru : AHINDA-Chaluvali has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government to conduct the nationwide Population Census and Caste Census simultaneously during 2026-27, while also raising concerns over the representation of backward classes and other communities in legislatures, government services, higher education institutions and other sectors.
In a representation addressed to the Prime Minister, AHINDA-Chaluvali said the Population Census due in 2021 under the Census Act, 1948, had not yet been conducted and sought implementation of the government’s 2025 announcement to undertake a nationwide Population Census along with a Caste Census during 2026-27.
The organisation said accurate community-wise data was necessary to assess social, economic, educational and political inequalities and to frame and implement policies. It referred to the diversity of religions, castes, sub-castes and communities in India and argued that inequalities continue in access to natural resources, wealth, property, employment, income, government benefits, political representation and other opportunities.
AHINDA-Chaluvali also submitted a detailed representation to the Karnataka government, referring to the state’s AHINDA movement and seeking measures concerning social, economic and educational representation of backward classes and other communities.
The memorandum referred to the first Siddaramaiah-led Congress government and the 2015 socio-economic and educational survey, described in the representation as the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission’s caste census exercise. It said the survey covered 1,35,35,772 households and 5,98,14,942 people, compared with Karnataka’s 2011 Census population of 6.35 crore. According to the memorandum, this represented about 94.17% coverage.
The representation said the Siddaramaiah government spent ₹155.51 crore on the survey and related activities. It stated that the H.D. Kumaraswamy-led coalition government came to power in 2018 and that the B.S. Yediyurappa-led BJP government assumed office in 2019. It further referred to the return of a Siddaramaiah-led government in 2023 and subsequent developments concerning the survey report.
The memorandum cited several historical developments relating to backward-class representation at the national and Karnataka levels, including commissions, court proceedings and previous government initiatives.
It also presented figures on representation in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. According to the memorandum, Lingayats hold 55 seats, Vokkaligas 46, Reddy and Balija communities 12 and Brahmins 10. It listed OBC representation at 35, minorities at 11, Scheduled Castes at 36 and Scheduled Tribes at 18, for a total of 223 seats with one vacancy. The organisation used these figures to argue that population share and political representation were uneven across communities.
The memorandum further cited figures relating to judicial appointments from 2018 to 2024, stating that 661 judges were appointed to High Courts during the period, including 499 from Brahmin and forward communities, 78 from OBC communities, 21 from Scheduled Castes and 12 from Scheduled Tribes.
It also referred to 4,365 IAS, IRS and IPS appointments between 2018 and 2022, listing 3,170 appointees from Brahmin and forward communities, 695 from OBC communities, 334 from Scheduled Castes and 166 from Scheduled Tribes.
According to the representation, 26,751 people were recruited to IIMs and IITs in 2024, with SC and ST representation stated to be below 10%. It also cited figures relating to faculty composition in 45 central universities and stated that OBC representation in Union government ministries was 26.32%, referring to the Department of Personnel and Training’s annual report for 2024-25.
The organisation also raised questions about representation in the judiciary, higher education, government services and other institutions, and invoked constitutional provisions and judicial decisions while calling for measures aimed at equitable representation.
In its demands to the Karnataka government, AHINDA-Chaluvali sought publication and implementation of the state’s backward-classes survey report and called for steps to address what it described as under-representation of backward classes and minority communities. It also sought consideration of a 54% reservation framework for backward classes in the state and asked the government to examine constitutional and legal measures in this regard.
Separately, in its August 8 letter to Prime Minister Modi, AHINDA-Chaluvali said the last Population Census was conducted in 2011 and that the exercise expected in 2021 was not held, citing the Covid-19 pandemic. It said the Union government announced in 2025 that a Population Census along with a Caste Census would be conducted during 2026-27, but stated that the process had not yet commenced.
The letter said comprehensive community-wise empirical data was essential for equitable distribution of government employment, educational opportunities, political representation and public resources. It referred to Supreme Court and High Court rulings in reservation-related cases as having emphasised the need for reliable empirical data for policy formulation and implementation.
The organisation urged the Union government to conduct the nationwide Population Census simultaneously with the Caste Census during 2026-27 in accordance with the Census Act, 1948 and applicable rules.
The representations carry signatures of representatives identified with several communities, including Kuruba, Ganiga, Urs, Kshatriya, Tigula, Uppar, Madivala, Ediga, Vishwakarma, Yadav, Fisherman, Kumbar, Nomadic/Jogi, Hoovadiga, Savita Samaja, Beda, Budbudike, Gondali, Khatik, Namdev Shimpe, Bagban, Nadaf/Pinjara, Sufi-santa, Muslim, Christian and Jain communities.
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