The Supreme Court approved the caste census (part of Census 2027), with the CJI supporting its role in welfare planning. Both the Modi government and Congress reversed their historical stances, now endorsing this first enumeration since 1931. This highlights India's paradox: aiming to dismantle caste while using it for positive discrimination. Past attempts, like the 2011 SECC, produced unusable data. While potentially ossifying identities, a caste census can aid targeted welfare and representation. Still, caste annihilation and the freedom to identify as casteless must remain paramount.