Nitish government, 'if required, to frame new law' to complete caste survey, halted by high court

PATNA: The seven-party grand alliance government would, if required, pass a new legislation from the Bihar legislature to complete the caste survey which was recently halted by an order of the Patna high court.

“Whatever steps are required, the government will take all those steps to ensure completion of the caste survey, because the chief minister and the state government want to complete the caste survey at any cost. Whatever statutory measures we will have to take, we will take all those to complete the survey,” state’s finance minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said in Patna on Friday.
Asked whether the state government is planning to frame a new legislation to facilitate caste survey, Choudhary said, “If required, we will frame legislation for it.”
While interacting with the media, Choudhary said the state government wanted to complete the caste survey as early as possible.
But it has now been halted in the wake of the high court’s order.
He said the state government was taking all those statutory measures which are required to resume the caste survey.
“First, we asked the high court to give a final judgement in the matter. As the high court did not agree with our plea, the state government has moved to the Supreme Court. And, the government is fully hopeful that it would get permission from the apex court to complete the halted exercise of caste survey,” the minister said.
Choudhary said, “The high court, in its order, has stated that in the caste survey, the state government is collecting the same information and data which are collected in the general census. Then, the question arises that when the Centre collects the same information and data during the general census and the privacy of a common citizen was not invaded, how can the privacy of a person be invaded, when the state government collects the same data and information under the caste survey?”
On Thursday, the state government moved the Supreme Court challenging the Patna high court order granting a stay on the caste survey, contending “huge loss” would be caused if the exercise is stopped.
In an appeal filed before the apex court against the May 4 order of the high court, the state government said the stay will adversely affect the entire exercise.
The first round of caste survey in Bihar was conducted between January 7 and 21.
The second round started on April 15 and was supposed to continue till May 15.
On May 4, the high court put an interim stay on caste survey.