65 percent reservation issue for backward classes in Bihar. The Supreme Court has overruled the Patna High Court’s judgment, abolishing 65 percent reservation. The Patna High Court quashed the Bihar government’s decision to increase the reservation rate for backward classes from 50 percent to 65 percent.
The Bihar government went to the Supreme Court in protest. The Patna High Court quashed the proposal approved by the Bihar Assembly on June 20.
In 2023, a proposal was introduced in the assembly for reservation for backward classes in the state. The High Court stated that the Bihar government’s decision violates Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar went to the Supreme Court on July 2 against the High Court’s verdict. According to the decision of the state government, there was 20 percent reservation for SCs, 2 percent for STs, and 43 percent for OBCs. While the Supreme Court’s ceiling for a total reservation of 50 percent remains, reservation has crossed borders in states.
The High Court’s decision was challenged in SC
The Bihar government in its petition had sought an interim stay on the High Court’s decision and said that if interim relief is not granted, a large number of recruitment processes are going on in the state, some of which are in advanced stages. This will affect the selection process. The petition states that the High Court’s conclusion that there is adequate representation of backward classes on the basis of caste survey data is a violation of the state’s discretion.