OBC census: SC seeks govt response

PIL in the Supreme Court on Monday made a strong pitch for utilising the elaborate ‘Census 2011’ mechanism to end the 80 long years of speculation about the exact population of other backward classes (OBC), which had been the basis for 27% reservation in jobs and educational institutions.

PIL petitioner Kishore Govind Kanhere through counsel D K Garg said that while the Mandal Commission estimated that OBCs constituted 52% of the total population, the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in its 61st round of survey (2004-05) had pegged it at 41% in its report on employment and unemployment situation amongst various social groups in India.

Arguing before a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan, the counsel said if the census took steps to identify the numbers of SCs and STs, why should the OBCs be left out of the purview of exact enumeration of their numbers.

When the Bench looked up to Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam for a response, the law officer immediately assured the court that there was no need for the Bench to issue notice to the Centre and that he would get the response of the government on this issue within three weeks.

The PIL said that the last caste-based census was held in the year 1931, wherein the OBCs were covered and complained that despite a large number of representations to the home ministry for inclusion of OBCs in Census 2011, there had been no positive response. It said the social justice and empowerment ministry had conceded that it had been fixing targets under various scheme for upliftment of OBC population without having the data about their numbers. Even this ministry had written to the census authorities for finding out the exact number of OBC population, but the request had been turned down, the petitioner said. The PIL referred to the law relating to 27% reservation for OBCs in central educational institutions and the subsequent challenge to its constitutional validity in the Supreme Court. “In order to provide reservations for backward classes among citizens in public educational institutions and for providing equal opportunity in public employment, it is necessary that census should cover OBCs as envisaged under Article 340 of the Constitution,” the petitioner said.

Sonia Gandhi enumerated for the Population Census 2011

Congress president Sonia Gandhi was enumerated for the Population Census 2011 exercise, in Delhi on Saturday 10th April morning.

The 2011 Census is the fifteenth census in the country and the seventh after independence.The first census in India was held in 1872.The 2011 census exercise was started on April 1 with President Pratibha Patil being the first person to be enumerated.Census officials visited Sonia Gandhi's residence at 10 Janpath in New Delhi and collected details.Two and a half million census officials will be employed to ensure details of every Indian citizen appear in the 2011 Census, who will also seek information for the creation of the National Population Register (NPR).The mammoth exercise will be undertaken in two phases.The exercise faces many challenges, which include coverage of a vast geographical area, widespread illiteracy and diverse cultures and languages.

The census, undertaken at the start of every decade, will also be the databank for building the National Population Register (NPR), based on biometric information and photos of all residents above 15 years of age.

CM of TN appeals to PM to enumerate transgenders in census 2011

Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi has urged prime minister Manmohan Singh to ensure that the transgender community is also enumerated in the Census 2011.

Describing the massive exercise as a milestone since the first ever National Population Registry was going to be prepared, Karunanidhi, in a letter to the prime minister on Saturday, sought that necessary provision be made in the census format to enumerate trangenders. "There are a number of persons in the country, who are called transgenders. I suggest that they may also be enumerated and necessary provision may be made in the format," he said.

The move is seen as yet another initiative of the state government to draw transgenders into the social mainstream. Tamil Nadu has taken several pioneering initiatives for the welfare of this community in recent months. Tamil Nadu was the first state to form a welfare board for transgenders in 2008, headed by the social welfare minister. The state government also issued separate ration cards to transgenders. Tamil Nadu government also added the option of third gender in the application forms of state-run schools and colleges for unhindered admission of transsexuals in educational institutions. Transgenders see the appeal by Karunanidhi as an effort to recognize their third gender status. "It is a welcome move if we are enumerated as transgenders during the census. But the enumerating staff should be adequately sensitized about our community. There is a misconception even among government officials that transgenders will dress only like a woman," said P Kajol, secretary of Aravanigal Rights and Rehabilitation Centre.

A government official admitted that awareness about transgenders and their rights increased only in the last decade. "May be transgenders were enumerated as women during the last census," he said. Karunanidhi has also appealed to the prime minister to bring pavement dwellers, who are usually left out during census, into the ambit of enumeration.