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The Karnataka High Court has refused to halt the controversial social, educational, and economic survey (caste survey) but has imposed stringent conditions on the state government to ensure data privacy. The division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Joshi heard the petitions and decided against an interim stay on the survey.
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The court's decision allows the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes to proceed with the survey, but only under the following key conditions:
Data Confidentiality: The collected data must not be disclosed to the government or any other entity. The Backward Classes Commission is responsible for protecting the confidentiality of the data.
Voluntary Participation: Information can only be collected from individuals who provide it voluntarily. No one should be compelled to provide any information, and the public must be made aware of this. Disha Authentic NCERT Summary (Class 6 to 12) for UPSC & State PSC Civil Services & other Competitive Exams | Old & New NCER One Liner General Studies | IAS Prelims & Mains Paperback – 19 September 2024
The High Court has directed the Backward Classes Commission to submit an affidavit outlining how it will ensure data confidentiality. The next hearing has been scheduled for the second week of December. In response to the court's query on data protection, government counsel Shashikiran Shetty assured the bench that the state's e-governance department would protect the data and that it would be managed exclusively by government officials.
The petitions seeking a stay on the survey were filed by various organizations, including the Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha, Akhila Karnataka Brahmin Mahasabha, and the State Vokkaliga Sangha. Lawyers for the petitioners and the central government had argued strongly for a stay, while the state government and the Backward Classes Commission's lawyers countered their arguments. Also Read: Cabinet Meeting Chaired by Siddaramaiah: Key Decisions from Hospital Upgradation to Congress Bhavan Expansion