The Supreme Court rejects a petition filed by the Bihar government challenging orders Patna High Court an interim stay on the caste-based census in the state.

A division bench of Justices B R Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra termed the petition “infructuous” and disposed of the case saying the Patna High Court had already reserved its order.

"The State has no power to carry out a caste-based survey, in the manner in which it is fashioned now, which would amount to a census, thus impinging upon the legislative power of the Union Parliament".

The survey was rolled out in two phases.

The first phase began on January 7 and was completed by January 21. The second phase started on April 15. The entire exercise was scheduled to end by May 2023.