Nitish Kumar said he sought an appointment with PM Narendra Modi.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar -- one of the key leaders pushing for caste-based census -- will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to discuss the issue. He will lead an all-party delegation from Bihar. The meeting will also be attended by the BJP, which has reservations on the issue.
"I had sought an appointment with the Prime Minister for a meeting with a delegation from Bihar... Many thanks to the respected Prime Minister for giving time to meet on August 23," Mr Kumar said in an official statement.
Asked about the matter later, he said, "The last update on this came late last night. So everyone has been informed today". Asked if the BJP leaders will be part of the meet, he said, "Yes of course. The names will be submitted".
A caste-based census and its impact on the country's political landscape is a sensitive issue, especially in view of assembly elections in seven states next year. One of the states is Uttar Pradesh, divided deeply along the caste lines.
"The demand of the caste census is not just the demand from Bihar but other states also," Mr Kumar had said on Monday, adding that his party as well as the opposition have written to the Prime Minister regarding this.
Mr Kumar has argued that a caste-based census is "in everyone's interest". Concern about a caste-based census generating tension is wrong, he has said. "No tension will be created in the society. There will be happiness... People from every strata will be considered," he told reporters earlier this month.
Bihar passed a unanimous caste-based census in both houses in 2019. A resolution was passed unanimously once again in 2020 in the state Legislative Assembly.
Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejaswi Yadav has announced that his party will organise a dharna across the state to press for their demand on August 7, marked as Mandal Divas.
Caste census took place in India during the British period. After Independence, leaders like BR Ambedkar argued that such a census will stand in the way of an equitable society. Since then, only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been counted. But before every census, a demand is raised – usually by leaders who have the support of backward classes -- for a caste-based census.