HC Bench calls for caste wise census for quota hike

Chennai, Oct 26 (UNI) The Madras High Court has directed the Centre to take up a caste-wise census in the country, completing the exercise in a time bound manner.

Allowing a writ petition, a Division Bench comprising Justices Elipe Dharma Rao and S Tamilvanan said the percentage of Reservation for SCs, STs and OBC should be proportionately increased on the basis of the census.

The Bench also observed that a caste wise census was the need of the hour as it would help the Centre to ''achieve the goal of social justice in its true sense.'' The petitioner E Sayed Ali, a veterinary surgeon belonging to Lakshwadeep, submitted that he was appointed as veterinary assistant surgeon under ST quota over two decades ago.

He filed the petition seeking promotion to the post of Joint Director, which is also reserved for ST candidates.

During the hearing of his petition ,the Bench was informed that Puducherry had no ST population.

The Bench said the very appointment of the petitioner under ST quota was illegal. However,in view of the fact that he was in service for over two decades, his continuation should be protected by the government, the Bench ordered.

''When it was an admitted fact that after 1931 there had never been any caste-wise enumeration or tabulation and when there could not be any dispute that there was an increase in the population of SC, ST and OBC's manifold, the percentage of Reservation fixed on the basis of population in 1931 had to be proportionately increased by conducting caste-wise census,'''the Bench observed.

UNI XR VV BDP BST1026