Following the Union government's announcement on April 30 that a caste census will be conducted alongside the long-pending decadal census, opposition parties—led by the Congress—welcomed the move as a validation of their long-standing demand, while urging the Centre to provide a definitive timeline for its implementation.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said the party had been demanding a caste census for years and considered the government’s decision a step in the right direction.

He added that the reasons behind the decision were secondary to its implementation and called on the government to announce dates for the process.

“We have been fighting for very long. We are happy. We welcome it. We want to ask the government by when the process will be completed. We want dates,” Gandhi said.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the inclusion of caste enumeration in the forthcoming census, reversing the BJP’s previous stance during the 2024 general elections.

The announcement comes ahead of the Bihar assembly polls, prompting speculation over the timing and motivation of the move. During the Lok Sabha campaign, the BJP had criticised the demand for a caste census as divisive, but the decision on Wednesday marked a significant policy shift.

Gandhi, however, dismissed suggestions that the upcoming Bihar elections were the primary driver behind the decision.

“No, I don’t think so. I don't think that's why (Bihar elections), this discision has been taken in hurry,” he said.

He described the caste census as a “new paradigm of development” and said the Congress wants to go beyond enumeration by addressing broader issues of representation and justice.

Among the party’s key demands are the removal of the Supreme Court-mandated 50% cap on reservations and the implementation of Article 15(5), which provides for reservations in private educational institutions.

“We've discussed two other key issues. First, the 50% cap on reservations, which is increasingly becoming an impediment to development, the progress of our country, and the advancement of backward castes, Dalits, and Adivasis. We want this barrier to be eliminated. The second issue is our demand for the implementation of Article 15(5), which provides for reservations in private educational institutions. We urge the government to implement it promptly,” Gandhi said, adding that Telangana’s model of caste survey could serve as a blueprint for the national exercise. 

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also welcomed the move but called it a “belated response” to a unanimous opposition demand.

CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby pointed out that the announcement lacked a timeline and reiterated that a caste-based socio-economic survey was crucial to ensuring equity in policy-making.

“Decision of CCPA to include caste census as part of the general census is a belated response to the unanimous demand of opposition, including the CPIM. However, even now there is no timeline given. Caste socio-economic survey is essential to ensure social justice in govt policies,” Baby wrote on X.

The announcement also triggered responses from other opposition leaders. Former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav termed it a partial victory, noting that the central government was compelled to act in the face of sustained political and legal pressure.

“This has been our consistent demand. Today, they have had to bow down. But it’s just an announcement for now—there is no clarity on when it will happen. We hope it takes place before delimitation,” Yadav said.

The caste survey conducted in Bihar in 2023 by the then JD(U)-RJD alliance revealed that 65% of the state's population belonged to marginalised communities, but they had poor representation in public employment and education.

The Bihar government attempted to breach the 50% reservation ceiling following the survey, but the move was struck down by the Patna High Court in June 2024. The case is currently pending before the Supreme Court.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav hailed the Centre’s decision as a victory for the unity of “90% PDA”—pichhda (backward), Dalit, and alpsankhyak (minorities).

“The decision to conduct a caste census is a 100% victory for the unity of the 90% PDA. Due to the combined pressure from all of us, the BJP government has been forced to take this decision. This marks a very important phase in the PDA’s victory in the fight for social justice,” he said.

In the 2024 elections, the Samajwadi Party, in alliance with the Congress, had focused its campaign around the PDA concept and the caste census, scoring a significant victory in Uttar Pradesh by winning 43 out of 80 seats—BJP’s worst performance in a decade in the state.

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi also backed the move while crediting Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for conducting the first such survey post-Independence.

“I congratulate and thank Telangana CM Revanth Reddy garu for his leadership in implementing the historic Caste Census in Telangana,” he said.

He highlighted that the Telangana survey showed that 56.32% of the population belonged to backward castes and praised the state’s proposal to implement 42% reservation for these communities. Owaisi also stressed the need for data on the socio-economic condition of Muslim communities, including their internal caste dynamics.

“Telangana took the extraordinary decision to propose to implement 42% BC reservations also. The need of the hour is proper data on the backwardness of Muslims, including the various castes/groups among Muslims,” he added.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader M.K. Stalin described the decision as a “hard-earned victory” for the opposition but questioned its timing, suggesting it was driven by political motives.

“The sudden announcement reeks of political expediency, especially with Bihar elections around the corner,” he said.

While the Union government’s decision has altered the political narrative around caste enumeration, its implementation timeline and follow-through remain under scrutiny, with the opposition continuing to demand transparency and urgency.