(1) As soon as may be after the commencement of this Ordinance, the population as at the last census, of the Scheduled Castes or, as the case may be, of the Scheduled Tribes, in each State shall be ascertained or estimated by the Census Commissioner.
(2) Where by reason of the amendments made in the Scheduled Castes Orders and the Scheduled Tribes Orders after the last census and upto 31st May, 2012, the population of the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes as at the last census is varied in a State, the Census Commissioner shall ascertain or estimate as on the 1st day of March, 2001, the population of the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes so varied, and also ascertain or estimate the proportion of such population of the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes, respectively, to the total population of the State in the last census.
(3) The population figures ascertained or estimated under sub-section (2) shall be notified by the Census Commissioner in the Gazette of India.
(4) The population figures notified under sub-section (3) shall be taken to be the relevant population figures as ascertained or estimated at the last census and shall supersede any figures previously published; and the figures so notified shall be final and shall not be called in question in any court.