The caste and Below Poverty Line census has been suspended in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, though it goes on nonstop in Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur also have simultaneous elections.
"Caste politics is quite prominent in UP, and hence the caste count at the time of polls can create problems, more so since it is being done for the first time since after 1931. We plan to restart it in the state in April," a ministry official said.
He said the ministry hopes to complete the entire census process by June, which means additional hands will have to be deployed in UP.