By: Express News ServiceBengaluru | September 22, 2025 10:56 PM IST 2 min readThe counsel for one of the petitioners, Senior Advocate Prabhuling Navadgi, Monday argued that the survey fell foul of Article 342 of the Constitution, which deals with Scheduled Tribes (File Photo)Petitioners seeking a stay on the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey carried out by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes argued before the high court that the exercise violates the Aadhaar Act and was also beyond the authority of the state government.The counsel for one of the petitioners, Senior Advocate Prabhuling Navadgi, Monday argued that the survey fell foul of Article 342 of the Constitution, which deals with Scheduled Tribes. He stated that the current survey was being undertaken without taking a decision on a 2023 report of the Backward Classes Commission.He added, “The collection of data sought is by geo-tagging. By geo-tagging every house of the state and linking it with the Aadhaar card of every citizen… violates the provisions of the Aadhaar Act.”Navadgi also noted that, as per Supreme Court precedent, in the ‘Indira Sawhney and Others vs Union of India’ (1992) case, caste could be one of the indicators to recognise a backward class, but not the only one, whereas the entire current exercise was caste centric.Another counsel, Senior Advocate Jayakumar Patil, stated, “What they call a survey is nothing less than a census because they are counting the population, parameters… everything that is being done in a census is being done. It covers the entire state. This entire exercise is totally without competence, because it can only be undertaken by the Central Government.”Further submissions were also made on these lines by Senior Advocates Ashok Haranahalli and Vivek Subba Reddy.Meanwhile, submissions were made on behalf of the Karnataka government by Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. He stated, “A budgetary allocation is made of (Rs) 420 crores and it involves thousands of teachers, Asha workers, etc, for the exercise. By coming one day before, they cannot give a fait accompli and ask for a stay.” Singhvi also stated that this was a survey and not a census.Story continues below this adThe matter will be further heard on Tuesday by a division bench of the Karnataka High Court, consisting of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Joshi.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Karnataka High Courtsocio-economic status