Sudha Murty and Narayana Murthy Cite This Reason for Skipping Karnataka Case Survey

Rajya Sabha member and philanthropist Sudha Murty has opted out of the Social and Educational Survey, commonly called the Karnataka caste survey. Her husband, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, has also declined to participate. The couple stated that they do not belong to any backward community and therefore saw no reason to take part. Sudha Murty submitted a self-declaration emphasizing that the survey would not serve any purpose for them and cited personal reasons for not providing details in the survey conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC).

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar responded to Sudha Murty's decision, highlighting that participation in the survey is voluntary. "We cannot force anyone to participate in the survey; it has to be done voluntarily," he said.

The Karnataka High Court had earlier clarified that the caste survey is optional. On September 25, shortly after the survey began, the court directed the KSCBC to issue a public notice confirming that citizens are not compelled to disclose personal information. Enumerators were instructed to inform participants about the voluntary nature of the survey. The court also emphasized that all data collected must remain confidential, stating, "The data collected shall not be disclosed to anyone. The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes shall ensure that the data is fully protected and confidential."

Madhusudan R Naik, Chairman of the Backward Classes Commission, clarified that the list of castes in the survey handbook is for internal reference only and carries no legal authority. It was designed merely to assist enumerators in locating castes alphabetically during data collection.

The Karnataka caste survey began on September 22, 2025, with enumerators visiting households across the state. The survey, estimated to cost ₹420 crore, contains 60 questions covering various social and educational indicators. It is scheduled to be completed by October 19, 2025, and the commission is expected to submit its final report to the state government by December 2025. The survey aims to provide detailed social and educational data while ensuring voluntary participation and confidentiality for all citizens.