The Tamil Nadu cabinet approved a commission to draft guidelines for a social justice survey next year. Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar said on Thursday that the panel will likely form by March 2027. The survey will assess social status and caste. Officials said, "true social justice lies in every community."
The Tamil Nadu cabinet has approved the constitution of a commission headed by a retired high court judge to draft the guidelines for the social justice survey in the state next year, minister CTR Nirmal Kumar said on Thursday.
Nirmal Kumar said the commission will likely be formed by March 2027 after the ongoing Union Census is completed.
"After the approval for the commission, steps will be taken regarding its structure, economic criteria and the survey," he said, briefing reporters on the Cabinet decisions. "Under the commission, a statewide survey would be conducted. This would be a survey that assesses social status along with a caste census," the minister for energy resources and law added.
"Only today the approval for the commission has come through. Moving forward, steps will be taken regarding the commission's structure, economic criteria, and the caste-wise survey. All of this was discussed in today's cabinet meeting," he said.
On June 19, soon after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) formed the government on May 10, Governor Rajendra Arlekar had announced the government's decision to undertake the survey.
"It is a fundamental policy of this (Tamil Nadu) government that true social justice lies in every community getting due representation. To fulfil this policy and promise, we will urge the Union government to swiftly complete the caste enumeration in conjunction with the ongoing Population Census. After the Union government completes the caste enumeration, the Government of Tamil Nadu will conduct the social justice survey," he had said.