K. Vinod Chandran, CJ.—The action of the State in carrying out a caste survey, impugned in the present batch of writ petitions and the vigorous challenge raised to it on multiple grounds, inter alia of infringement of fundamental rights, by reason of infringement of privacy, reveal that despite attempts to efface it from the social fabric, caste remains a reality and refuses to be swept aside, wished away or brushed aside nor does it wither away and disperse into thin air.

THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE SURVEY:—

2. Learned Senior Counsel Ms. Aparajita Singh, instructed to appear in CWJC No. 5542 of 2023, led the arguments on behalf of the petitioners. Referring to Annexure- P/1 notification dated 06.06.2022, which initiated the caste survey and the instructions issued from the Principal Secretary to the District Collectors, followed up with directions from the District Collectors to the Block Development Officers (Annexure- P/2 and P/3 respectively) and the guidelines issued through Annexue-P/4 notification, the learned Senior Counsel raised objections specifically regarding the queries raised under the three heads of religion, caste and monthly income. Reliance was placed on K.S. Puttasw