The Central Government has a counter affidavit before the High Court in response to a batch of petitions filed against constituting a panel by the Karnataka State Minorities Commission to look into the demand for a separate religion status to Lingayats. In its affidavit, the Centre stated that the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India had in 2011 conducted the census survey in which Lingayat/Veerashaiva Lingayat Sect are included along with various sects under the Hindu religion.