BHAGWAN Vs. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Shri Ramaswamy Sundaram, learned Counsel for the petitioners, Shri S.A. Chaudhari, learned Counsel for the respondent nos.1 and 2, Shri N.R. Patil, learned Assistant Government Pleader for the respondent no.4 and Shri J.B. Kasat, learned Counsel for the respondent nos.3 and 5.

(2.) This petition seeks following reliefs :-

(3.) There is a questionnaire at Annexure-A, which has been issued in the format, which has been prescribed in accordance with Section 8 of the Census Act, 1948. This questionnaire, as would be seen from prayer clause (i), has been sought to be quashed and set aside, not on the ground that it is inconsistent with Section 8 of the Census Act or any notification made thereunder, but on the premise that as certain castes have now been recognized as belonging to reserved class known as Other Backward Class, details about such castes must also be collected during the course of the census.