Blitz Bureau
THE Supreme Court has refused to stay the Patna High Court’s decision striking down the law introduced to enhance reservation from 50 per cent to 65 per cent for Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Bihar.
Refusing to pass any interim relief, a Bench presided over by CJI Chandrachud on July 29 agreed to examine the Bihar Government’s plea seeking restoration of the quota hike, which was applicable in jobs and educational institutions in the state. The final hearing will be held in September, 2024. The Patna High Court had on June 20 nullified amendments passed by the Bihar Assembly in 2023, saying that they violated the equality clause under Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution.
The quota was raised by the Bihar Government after it carried out a caste survey in the state. Petitions were filed in the HC challenging the government decision. The contention of the pleas was that as per the law laid down by the Supreme Court judgments, reservation can’t extend beyond 50 per cent.
The impugned law would have brought the quota to a total of 75 per cent in the state, which included 20 per cent for SCs, 2 per cent for STs, 25 per cent for Extremely Backward Classes, 18 per cent for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 10 per cent for Economically Backward Classes.
