Supreme Court Declines Judicial Review of Caste Enumeration Protocols for 2027 National Census

The Supreme Court of India has declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the procedural framework for recording caste data in the upcoming 2027 decennial census. This judicial decision effectively upholds the current administrative and legislative prerogative to determine the methodology for this significant demographic exercise. The refusal to intervene underscores the Court's deference to the executive and legislative branches on matters of complex policy formulation, particularly those involving sensitive socio-political categories like caste. This ruling has immediate implications for the planning and execution of the census, allowing preparatory work to proceed without judicial interference at this stage. Analysts interpret the move as reinforcing the constitutional separation of powers, while also highlighting the contentious and politically charged nature of caste-based data collection in India. The decision leaves open the possibility for future legal challenges once specific procedures are formally established, but for now, it clears a procedural hurdle for the government. The 2027 census, a massive logistical undertaking, is poised to be a critical dataset for resource allocation, affirmative action policies, and sociological research, making the methodology for caste recording a subject of intense national interest.