On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought to prevent the inclusion of caste enumeration in the upcoming population census. The three-member bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, stated that the matter is a policy issue that falls under the government's jurisdiction. The petitioner, Sudhakar Gummula, argued that collecting caste data could lead to misuse, especially if it were accessed by corporate entities and politicians. He also claimed there was no valid reason to gather such information. In response, the Chief Justice remarked that understanding how many people belong to backward classes is essential for the government to formulate appropriate welfare measures. The bench concluded that there was no reason to intervene in the government's policy decisions regarding the census, leading to the dismissal of the plea. This ruling highlights the ongoing discussions about the implications of caste data collection in India and the government's role in determining census policies.