3,400 school teachers deputed as enumerators in Mysuru district; survey to be held in three stages up to May 23

Mysuru: Preparations have been all made for the survey of Scheduled Castes (SC) to provide internal reservation, across the State from tomorrow (May 5) till May 23. Following a report submitted to the State Government by Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission, the survey is set to begin in Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu and Hassan districts, as part of the Statewide exercise, rekindling the hopes of the most backward sub-castes among the SC community to reap the benefits of inner reservation.

The very initiative stems from the judgement of seven-member bench of Supreme Court judges, on Aug. 1, 2024, favouring internal reservation, leaving it to the prerogative of respective State Governments to decide on the modalities to extend   the reservation.

Following the apex court judgement, the State Government had formed Justice Nagamohan Das Commission, to carry out the survey in a scientific manner.

District Officer of Social Welfare Department Rangegowda, also the Nodal Officer of the survey, told Star of Mysore, in Mysuru district a total of 3,400 school teachers are roped in as enumerators for the survey. They will be deployed to conduct the survey at the polling booths in respective Gram Panchayat (GP) limits. They shall be going door-to-door and one supervisor has been deputed for every 10 enumerators. Besides, the Social Welfare Department Officer and Block Education Officers (BEO) shall be overseeing the survey.

A dedicated app has been developed to record the data in a scientific method online, with a questionnaire prepared for the purpose. The survey will cover both SC and non-SC households, during which the family members have to provide relevant information.

A Caste Survey Centre is being opened at every polling booth from May 18 to 20, where those who miss to be covered during the survey-either due to the enumerators skipping their house or the residents not present at home during the enumerators visit, may visit the centre to provide the required information.

Not sure of getting justice

Meanwhile, S. Arunkumar, advocate and President of Karnataka Samajika Nyayapara Vakeelara Vedike, sounded sceptical over SC communities getting any justice from the survey.

“Congress Government in the State is conducting the survey of SC community again, only for the sake of its vote bank politics, but there is no hope of getting justice. In the earlier surveys by Justice A.J. Sadashiva Commission, former Law Minister J.C. Madhuswamy headed Cabinet Sub-Committee and H. Kantharaju Commission that was constituted by the same Congress Government, Madigas have emerged as No.1 in population among SC communities. The State Government has in its possession, the data to corroborate the fact that the population of Madiga is higher. But still the Government is conducting a SC survey” said Advocate Arunkumar.

Share accurate info: DC

Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy appealed to the people to cooperate with the enumerators during the survey, by providing accurate details. The data will be collected in three stages.

In the first stage, from May 5 to 17, a door-to-door survey will be conducted and data will be uploaded on the app. In the second stage, from May 19 to 21, special camps will be set up and the data of those families excluded in the survey will be collected. In the third stage on May 22 and 23, SC families can voluntarily share details of their sub-castes online, added DC Reddy.

There are 101 sub-castes among Scheduled Caste (SC) and among them, the information related to Adi Karnataka and Adi Jambava and others will be collected during the survey. The photo of those who provide the information will be taken and uploaded on the app, to ensure authenticity in conducting the survey. The information of even those families which don’t belong to SC community should also be uploaded on the app, to ensure that no families are omitted during the survey. -DDPI Jaware Gowda