Bihar Caste Census data released. Timeline, impact on Women Reservation Bill, all you need to know

Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar on Monday released findings of Bihar's caste survey which revealed that OBCs and EBCs constitute 63 per cent of the state’s total population. The Extremely Backward Classes (36 per cent) were the largest social segment in Bihar followed by the Other Backward Classes at 27.13 per cent.

The caste census that was opposed by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s government, comes at a crucial juncture ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, as it could spur demands for similar caste-based census elsewhere is a key agenda of the opposition INDIA bloc. 

What did the Bihar Caste Census reveal?

The caste-based census by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar showed that the state’s total population stood at a little over 13.07 crore

-Extremely Backward Classes (36per cent) were the largest social segment

-Other Backward Classes came in second at 27.13 per cent

- Yadavs, the OBC group to which Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav belongs, were the largest in terms of the population, accounting for 14.27 per cent

-Dalits, also known as the Scheduled Castes, accounted for 19.65 per cent

-Bihar is home to nearly 22 lakh (1.68 per cent) people belonging to the Scheduled Tribes.

- “Unreserved” category, which denotes the proverbial “upper castes” comprise 15.52 per cent of the total population.

-Bihar’s population is overwhelmingly Hindu, with the majority community comprising 81.99 per cent of the total population, followed by Muslims 17.70%

-Christians, Sikhs, Jains and those following other religions as also the non-believers have a miniscule presence, together making up for less than 1 per cent

Timeline of Bihar Caste Census

The Bihar cabinet, helmed by Nitish Kumar and Tejaswi Yadav gave its nod to hold a caste survey on 2 June 2022. The Bihar government also allocated an amount of ₹500 crore for the mammoth exercise.

The first phase of the caste-based survey started from January 7, 2023, and ended on January 21. During this phase number of all households in Bihar were counted and recorded.

The Second Phase happened between April 15 and May 15. During this phase data on people living in the households, their castes, sub-castes, socio-economic conditions were collected.

Enumerators were given a set of 17 questions which were to be mandatorily answered by respondents. However, filling Aadhaar number, caste certificate number and ration card number of the head of the family, were optional.

To enumerate the caste survey, the Bihar government set different codes for 215 different castes of the state. The sub-categories of a particular caste concerned were been merged into one single social entity, and they had numerical caste code for use during the month-long second phase of caste-based headcount.

On August 16, 2023, the data entry work of caste-based census was completed.

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How does Caste Census affect Women Reservation Act's implementation?

The Narendra Modi-led government passed the Women Reservation Bill in the parliament which then became an Act with the nod from President Droupadi Murmu. 

However, the implementation of the Women Representation Bill is subject to the next delimitation process in order to reserve 33 per cent seats in the parliament for women. 

The Bill reserves, "as nearly as may be," one-third of all seats in Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, for women. This will also apply to the seats reserved for SCs and STs in Lok Sabha and state legislatures.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, while introducing the Bill in Lok Sabha had said, “This constitutional amendment is both horizontal and vertical. There is reservation for SC and ST women also, because a census is necessary and delimitation is necessary.” He said that the Delimitation Commission will decide which seat will go to the women after the delimitation exercise.

In a delimitation exercise, a Commission demarcates fresh Lok Sabha constituencies on the basis of the Census data. Constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes according to the Census figures.

However, Bihar's caste census shows a majority presence of OBCs and Extremely Backward Classes, women of this category are likely to be overlooked by the delimitation category, as reservations have only been made for SC and STs in the parliament. 

According to reports, India's population increased 30% since the last census was conducted in 2011. Therefore, the seats in the Lok Sabha will also increase in the same proportion. It is expected that there will be an increase of about 210 seats over the 543 seats in the current Lok Sabha, reports India Today. 

Following the 33 per cent reservation for women in the local bodies and panchayats, the “reserved seats” for women have been decided by lottery or randomisation so far.

A census and delimitation becomes imperative for the Women's reservation Bill in order to avoid an ‘overlap’ with the SC/ST reservation in the Parliament. it would also ensure better representation in tandem with the census.

Therefore, whether a national caste to ensure an absolutist implementation of the Women Reservation Bill will only unfold eventually.