The commission tasked with preparing a report on the political backwardness of Other Backward Classes in Maharashtra is unlikely to conduct a caste census requiring a door-to-door survey, and may instead conduct the sample survey in select few districts in the state, said sources in the state government. According to government sources, the commission, led by former chief secretary Jayant Kumar Banthia, has already held multiple meetings with various departments, including the OBC Department and Election Commission, among others, in the last two weeks. However, a source in the state government said conducting a door-to-door survey on caste seemed unfeasible as it could lead to a slew of issues later. “When the Karnataka government’s data of caste census was leaked, the dominant communities questioned the findings and opposed the state government move of making it public. The same could happen in our state and the communities could be pitted against each other for no reason. It may disturb the social fabric of the state,” said a source. The data from the Karnataka government's socio-economic survey was leaked in 2016, revealing that the number of Vokkaligas and Lingayats was lower than previously assumed. Subsequently, both communities staged protests against the report, casting doubt on its veracity. “The Union government has the authority to conduct a caste census but it has refused to do so. If the Centre, despite having the power, refuses to conduct a caste census, then such an exercise by the state government will be questioned by any community in case the survey reveals the population of any community to be lower than what they believe it to be. The entire exercise will be futile,” added the source. Another source from the government said the Maharashtra government may hand over the data reports, which were given to Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSCBC), to the Banthia-led commission. “The government will also provide required adequate funds to the commission for their task,” added the source. On Thursday, Vijay Wadettiwar, Minister for Other Backward Classes, has said in the Legislative Council that the Banthia Commission is expected to submit a report in three months. The panel will be given an extension of one month if needed, he said. Earlier, the MSCBC had proposed to conduct the caste census with door-to-door survey for the OBC quota. Earlier this month, the government had set up the six-member dedicated commission to prepare a report on the political backwardness of OBCs in the state to provide them reservation in the local bodies. The move came after the Supreme Court rejected the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes's interim report based on government data, recommending providing up to 27 per cent reservation to OBCs. The commission’s report is required to fulfill one of the triple tests laid down by the Supreme Court to provide OBC quota in local bodies. The court had earlier read down the OBC quota given by the state government in local bodies.
