The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition seeking a directive to the Centre and census authorities not to carry out caste enumeration in the ongoing census, saying the government has the right to know the number of backward class people to provide the necessary welfare measures.

"Whether census should be caste or not caste-based is a policy decision. These are all policy matters. Whether the census should be caste-based or not, it is for the government to decide. The government has to know how much is the extent of backwardness. The government has to know how many people are in the backward class. What are the welfare measures to be taken? What is wrong in it?" a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant told a PIL petitioner.

The petitioner, Sudhakar Gummula, appearing in person, argued that undertaking caste-based enumeration during the census posed a serious threat to citizens' fundamental right to life and privacy as such data can be misused by political parties and corporate lobbies for their vested interests.

The petitioner told the bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi that there was no need for caste-based enumeration as the government has enough data on the population of different castes in the country.

The bench, however, dismissed the petition saying: "Since the issue(s) of caste-based census and ancillary matters essentially fall within the realm of legislative policy-making, we see no reason to entertain the instant writ petition. The same stands dismissed accordingly. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand closed."