CPI's demand for caste census before local body elections in AP

CPI National Secretary K. Ramakrishna reiterated the party's demand for conducting a comprehensive caste census in Andhra Pradesh prior to holding local body elections. He emphasized that both Karnataka and Telangana governments have implemented caste-based enumeration in their population surveys, which has informed their policy decisions. He pointed out that Telangana has provided 42% reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections based on population proportions, and similar reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Addressing a meeting organized by the CPI in Anantapur, Ramakrishna stated that the Telangana government had completed its caste census and implemented welfare schemes accordingly. He urged the Andhra Pradesh government to conduct a caste census and implement welfare programs based on the findings. He also demanded that local body elections in Andhra Pradesh be held with seat reservations for BCs, SCs, and STs based on their population ratios.

Ramakrishna criticized the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which claims to be a BC-centric party, for not taking steps toward conducting a caste census. He announced that the CPI would conduct caste census meetings in all 26 districts of Andhra Pradesh and, after completing these meetings, would call for a "Chalo Amaravati" movement. He reiterated that local body elections should be conducted only after completing the caste census, asserting that it is not difficult to complete the census within two weeks, as all political parties and BC, SC, and ST organizations are united in this demand.

The CPI's call for a caste census and population-based reservations in local body elections aligns with similar demands from various BC organizations and political parties in Andhra Pradesh. These groups have urged the state government to conduct a comprehensive and scientific caste census as part of the national population census and to implement reservations for BCs in local bodies based on population proportions.

The Telangana government has already implemented 42% reservations for BCs in local body elections, fulfilling a major 2023 election promise by the Congress. This move, based on recommendations from the dedicated BC commission and supported by a caste survey, raises the total reservation in the state to 67% (BCs 42%, SCs 15%, STs 10%), exceeding the Supreme Court’s 50% cap. While the state passed two BC quota bills and lifted the limit for local body polls, Presidential approval is still pending.

In summary, CPI National Secretary Ramakrishna's demand for a caste census before conducting local body elections in Andhra Pradesh is in line with similar demands from various organizations and political parties. The implementation of caste-based reservations in Telangana serves as a precedent for such policies in neighboring states.