Bihar Elections: Tejashwi Yadav Stirs Caste Census Poll Pot
Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav! (Image Tejashvi Yadav, X)
Tejashwi Yadav Pushes for Expanding Quota After Caste Census: Calls for National Policy Overhaul
By AMIT KUMAR
PATNA, June 24, 2025 – In a strongly worded opinion piece, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has argued for increasing the scope of reservations in India following the recently conducted caste-based survey in the state. Writing in a Hindi daily, Yadav said that the caste census is not the end but the beginning of a long journey toward social and economic justice.
“This caste census will present concrete data on caste-based disparities, helping strengthen the relevance of castes in public policy. We must then expand the scope of reservations,” Yadav wrote, arguing that current reservation policies fail to reflect the ground realities of social inequality.
The Centre has announced a caste census. The population census will be undertaken in 2027 in which caste enumeration will be done, the Centre has said. Union Cabinet in a meeting in a surprise decision decided to hold the caste census in the country.
Tejashwi revealed that he had recently urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider including caste-based reservation in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution to safeguard it from judicial review. He also criticized the Centre for ignoring the demands of the Bihar government regarding this inclusion. The ninth schedule of the Constitution is generally seen out of the purview of the judicial purview. The Supreme Court in the past has rejected attempts of state governments to breach the 50 percent reservation ceiling.
Drawing from the Bihar experience, Yadav said the caste survey has exposed the lopsided distribution of resources and government jobs. “The ground reality shows a massive gap in representation. Hence, we in Bihar increased reservation quotas, but the task is not yet over,” he added.
He stressed that the 85% of people demanding reservations cannot be ignored merely by procedural hurdles. “When the Centre doesn’t respond to our data-backed demands, it shows that the government isn’t serious about addressing historical injustices,” Yadav argued.
Taking a swipe at the BJP and its allies, especially in Bihar, he claimed they have done little to support caste-based equity despite publicly acknowledging its importance. “They talk about support in private, but act differently when it matters,” he said.
The RJD leader called for a national caste census and the formation of a central commission to frame a new reservation policy. “Only then can we correct decades of denial and underrepresentation in public services, education, and welfare,” he said.
In conclusion, Yadav asserted that caste-based inequality is deeply entrenched and can only be addressed by scientifically restructuring public policy, backed by reliable data. “Caste census is the first step toward a just and inclusive India,” he said.
Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
About The Author
