The Congress on Monday urged the Centre to consult states, parties and civil society organisations before conducting the caste census. The party’s demand follows the Centre’s official notification for the first phase of the 2027 census, which covers houselisting and housing schedule and is slated to begin in April. ADVERTISEMENTCongress communications head Jairam Ramesh posted on X: “The Indian National Congress now calls upon the Modi Govt to immediately initiate a dialogue with political parties, state governments, and civil society organisations before finalising the details of the caste enumeration exercise. “Such consultations were an integral part of the SEEEPC Survey that was carried out by the Telangana government in 2025 and which remains the most comprehensive and meaningful way to gather vital caste-wise information on education, employment, income, and political engagement,” he posted. Ramesh questioned the government’s intent, citing question 12 in the houselisting survey questionnaire that asks whether the head of a household belongs to the SC, ST or “Other”categories, without explicitly mentioning OBCs or general categories.

Source: The Telegraph January 26, 2026 23:25 UTC