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A long-running campaign to have Sikhs listed as an ethnic group in the UK census has reached the High Court.

The Sikh Federation UK argues it would be "unlawful" if the 2021 census did not include the option for people to record themselves as being of Sikh ethnicity.

Lawyers for the federation told a hearing on Tuesday that not everyone who identifies as an ethnic Sikh would also identify as being Sikh by religion.

They also said the government recognises the "significant disadvantage" Sikhs face in employment, housing, health and education - and that more data would "better meet the needs of the Sikh population".

The federation, which has campaigned for 15 years, said it is bringing the legal action with the support of more than 150 gurdwaras and Sikh organisations across the UK.

David Wolfe QC, for the federation, said: "The inclusion of the option of a Sikh ethnic group tick box in the 2021 census is therefore important to ensure that accurate data is obtained about the ethnic Sikh population in the UK.

"This is because the data obtained through the optional religion question in the census will underestimate the size and distribution of the Sikh population, as not everyone who is an ethnic Sikh would also identify as being Sikh by religion and, to a lesser extent, vice versa."

But the Cabinet Office is urging Mrs Justice Lang, who is hearing the case, to dismiss the legal challenge.

Neil Sheldon QC, for the Cabinet Office, said: "The Sikh ethnicity response option is an additional response option for data which will be collected in other ways, such as through the religion question in the census.

"Furthermore, it is open to respondents to respond to the ethnicity question by writing Sikh in the write-in option."

The Sikh Federation estimates there are approximately 700,000 to 800,000 ethnic Sikhs living in the UK, despite the 2011 census recording 430,000 because of a question about religion, which was not compulsory to answer.