In Bihar Caste Survey, SC States - Neighbors Aware Of Caste, Addressing Privacy Concerns

Accusing the Bihar Government of flouting Supreme Court directives on the Right to Privacy, petitioners conveyed to the apex court their concerns that the caste-based survey infringes upon the privacy of citizens in the state.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna's bench initiated hearings on several petitions contesting the Patna High Court's approval of Bihar's caste survey. Senior Advocate CS Vaidyanathan argued that the Right to Privacy, established in the Puttaswamy judgment, cannot be violated without a legitimate law. He stressed that more than an executive order is needed for this purpose.

In response to concerns about individual privacy, the bench inquired how the survey would impact personal privacy since the information released would be aggregated, not individualized. Vaidyanathan pointed out that mere notification doesn't align with the standards set in the Puttaswamy case. He questioned the mandatory disclosure of sensitive information without a proper legal foundation.

The bench countered, citing that in Bihar, one's caste is commonly known among neighbors, unlike in Delhi. They emphasized that they wouldn't intervene or issue notices since the survey had already concluded.

Author: Anushka Taraniya

News Writer, MIT ADT University