Lucknow: With the Centre setting March 2027 as the deadline for India’s first caste census in nine decades, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has strategically positioned the exercise as a cornerstone of his 2027 Uttar Pradesh election campaign. In a social media post, Yadav connected the census’s implementation timeline to the anticipated return of a "PDSA government", a veiled reference to his party’s potential governance stating it would ensure "authentic representation of OBCs and marginalized communities."
The Union Home Ministry’s two-phase census will include caste enumeration for the first time since 1931, with snow-bound states completing the process by October 2026. The move fulfills a longstanding demand of opposition parties, including the SP, which had accused previous administrations of suppressing the 2011 socio-economic caste data collected during the UPA regime. Political analysts note the census could redefine electoral arithmetic in UP, where OBCs constitute over 40% of the population.
Yadav’s early mobilization contrasts with the ruling party’s cautious stance, with the SP framing the exercise as essential for equitable resource allocation. The census results, expected weeks before the 2027 state polls, may validate Yadav’s persistent advocacy for caste-based affirmative action.
Officials confirm the process will begin after the June 16 notification, deploying personnel adapted to regional conditions. The SP has already initiated grassroots workshops to educate voters about the census’s implications, signaling its intent to make social justice the central poll plank.
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