March 24, 2026 : The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday declined to entertain a plea seeking separate enumeration of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) in the national Census, holding that such issues fall squarely within the domain of policy and are best addressed by the executive.
The matter was heard by a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. During the hearing, the Court expressed concern over the growing tendency to seek further social classification, observing that such efforts may run counter to the goal of achieving a casteless society and could instead deepen existing divisions.
The petitioners had sought a direction to the Union Government to create a distinct Census category for DNT communities. They argued that the absence of separate enumeration has resulted in a lack of reliable data, leading to inadequate policy focus and welfare measures for these historically marginalised groups.
However, the Court declined to intervene. It noted that decisions relating to Census enumeration, classification, and data collection involve complex socio-political and administrative considerations that are better suited for executive determination. Such matters, the Court emphasised, do not fall within the scope of judicial review under writ jurisdiction.
Reiterating the limits of judicial intervention, the Bench held that it cannot issue directions on matters that are fundamentally legislative or executive in nature. At the same time, it observed that the concerns raised by the petitioners are not without significance and may be placed before the appropriate government authorities for consideration.
Accordingly, the petition was disposed of with liberty granted to the petitioners to approach the competent authorities with their representation. The ruling reinforces the Court’s consistent approach of maintaining a clear boundary between judicial functions and policy-making, particularly in relation to large-scale administrative exercises such as the Census.
