Karnataka high court refuses to stay caste survey, but with a caveat

However, the court ordered the authorities not to disclose any data obtained from participants in the process and to notify participants that their participation was voluntary.

“In view of the above, we do not find to interdict the ongoing survey. However, we state that data collected shall not be disclosed to any person. The Commission shall ensure that data is fully protected and kept confidential. We further direct the Commission to issue a public notification that clarifying in this survey is voluntary and no person is obligated to disclose any information, and info disclosed is voluntary," Livelaw quoted a division bench of chief justice Vibhu Bakhru and justice CM Joshi as saying.

The bench also said that the information about the disclosure in the survey being voluntary will need to be given at the threshold stage.