BENGALURU: Karnataka’s new “Socio-Educational Survey,” also known as the caste census, is facing a major storm. The survey started on September 22, 2025. It is meant to collect data on all people in the state. However, it has run into big problems.
The latest news is a major controversy. Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy and his wife, Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy, have refused to take part in the survey. This has started a big debate. It has pulled in the Chief Minister and other top political leaders.
This new 2025 survey is the government’s second try. An older survey from 2015 was never officially released. This has made the new survey even more political.
The Murthy Controversy Explained
The big story right now is about the Murthy family. When government workers (called enumerators) visited their home, the Murthys gave them a signed letter.
In the letter, Sudha Murthy said they would not participate. The letter said they do not belong to a backward community. They felt the information would not be useful to the government.
This refusal has caused a strong reaction from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Chief Minister’s Strong Reply
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah openly criticized the Murthys’ decision. He asked if the “people at Infosys are akin to gods.”
Mr. Siddaramaiah said the Murthys misunderstood the survey. He clarified that this is not just a “backward classes survey.”
“This survey is for everyone,” the Chief Minister stated. “It is for all seven crore people of Karnataka. It is to study the social, economic, and educational conditions of everyone.”
He said the government needs this data. The data will help to make sure welfare schemes, like the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ and ‘Shakti’ schemes, reach the right people. This includes poor people from all castes, even upper castes.
The Chief Minister also pointed at the central government. He asked if the Murthys would also refuse to take part if the central government does a national caste census.
Why Is This New Survey Happening?
This new 2025 survey is happening because an older one failed.
In 2015, when Mr. Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister before, he ordered a similar survey. That survey was led by the H. Kantharaj Commission.
The report from that survey was finished. But it was never made public. It became a huge political problem.
The Old Report (Kantharaj Report)
The Kantharaj report was very controversial. News leaked that the report showed new numbers for the state’s population.
- It reportedly counted Lingayats and Vokkaligas, the two most dominant communities in Karnataka, as having smaller populations than believed.
- It also reportedly showed that the ‘AHINDA’ group (a Kannada name for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) was the largest group.
This angered leaders from the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities. They said the survey was “unscientific.” They claimed enumerators did not visit many houses. They demanded that the government reject the report.
Because of this huge political pressure, no government (neither the Congress-JD(S) coalition nor the BJP government that followed) released the report.
Now, the new Siddaramaiah government has decided to not use that old report. In September 2025, the government announced it would spend ₹420 crore on a completely new survey. The old 2015 report, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, was “not accepted by the government.”
Who Supports and Who Opposes the New Survey?
The new survey has divided political parties and community groups.
Government’s Stand
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah: He is the biggest supporter of the survey. He says it is needed for “social justice.” He believes accurate data will help the government create better policies for the poor and backward sections of society. He has accused the BJP of opposing the survey because of a “Manuvadi mindset” that wants to keep the old social order.
Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar: Mr. Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president and a prominent Vokkaliga leader, has supported the survey. He has asked people to participate.
However, he has also raised some concerns. When enumerators visited his own house, he felt “uncomfortable” with some questions. He said questions about how much gold, how many sheep, or how many chickens a family owns are too “personal.” He advised officials to be more sensible and not to bother the public with such private details, especially in a city like Bengaluru.
Opposition from BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is strongly against the survey.
- Several BJP leaders, like Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and MP Tejasvi Surya, have asked the public not to participate.
- Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, called the survey a political tool. He said the Congress government is doing it to “divide communities” for votes.
- The BJP has warned people to be “cautious” about giving their personal information. They have raised fears that the data could be misused.
Opposition from Dominant Communities
Just like in 2015, the two most powerful communities are worried.
Lingayats and Vokkaligas: Leaders from both communities are opposing this new survey. They have the same fear as before. They are worried that the survey will wrongly classify their sub-castes.
For example, they fear that many sub-sects will be counted separately, and not as “Lingayat” or “Vokkaliga.” This, they say, will make their total population numbers look smaller. This is a big issue because population numbers are linked to political power and reservation benefits.
Problems on the Ground
Beyond the big political fights, the survey itself is facing many problems.
- Technical Glitches: Enumerators are reporting that the mobile app used to collect data is slow and has many technical problems. This is making the process very long.
- Public Not Cooperating: Many people are refusing to give information. They are afraid of cyber fraud and scams. They do not want to share their Aadhaar or bank details. The Dasara festival season also means many people are not at home.
- Conflicting Data: There is confusion about how much work is done. The Backward Classes Commission claims 92% of the survey is complete. However, the state’s Chief Secretary reported that only 81% is done. In Bengaluru, the coverage is very low, with some areas at only 31%.
The government has a big task ahead. It must fix these technical issues. It also needs to convince people that their personal data is safe. The current controversy with the Murthy family has made this job much harder. The future of this ₹420 crore survey now looks very uncertain.
Also Read-
Bihar Election Twist: Prashant Kishor Won’t Contest! Fear or a Master Plan?