Tamil Nadu: Pre-load caste names on Census, seeks House

CHENNAI: The Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Union government to collect caste-wise details of Backward Classes (BCs), Most Backward Classes (MBCs) and Denotified Communities (DNCs) during the second phase of the 2027 Census.

Minister for Backward Classes Welfare V Sampathkumar moved the resolution, stating that caste-wise details of Other Backward Classes had not been collected in the Census conducted after Independence.

The resolution said accurate details of BCs, MBCs and DNCs were essential to ensure social justice for all sections of society. It urged the Union government to collect caste details during the second phase of the Census in the same manner as those for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

It further urged the Centre to pre-load the lists of BCs, MBCs and DNCs notified by the State and Union governments into the Census enumeration portal/application. The resolution said that the details should be collected solely from the names contained in these notified lists.

The Assembly also urged the Union government to dispense with the "open-column method" for enumerating BCs, MBCs and DNCs, describing the method as ambiguous.

The resolution was adopted unanimously by the House with the support of all parties, including the VCK, IUML, Congress, AIADMK, PMK, Left parties and BJP. Due to their eviction from the House, DMK members were unable to participate in the debate on the resolution.