As several parties continue to press for a caste-based census, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the government was in the process of taking a decision on the issue.
"I made a statement in Parliament in which I said that we shall take into account the views expressed in Parliament by various sections ...And that I will ask the Cabinet to consider them. That process is on," Singh said replying to a question on the issue.
He said "discussion on the issue will take place in the Cabinet and whatever decision is taken it will be brought before the people."
Political parties, including the Samajwadi Party, the RJD and the JD-U have been strongly demanding inclusion of caste in the census exercise. The issue figured prominently in the just-concluded budget session of Parliament.
Caste-based census was last conducted in the country in the year 1931.
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