New Delhi
In a significant setback for the Bihar government, the Patna High Court on Thursday invalidated the decision to increase reservations for Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs) from 50 percent to 65 percent. This quota increase, which applied to jobs and educational institutions, was implemented last year.
A division bench led by Chief Justice K. Vinod Chandran nullified the amendments passed by the Bihar Assembly in 2023, stating they violated the equality clause under Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution.
The Bihar government had raised the quota following a caste survey and issued a notification in November 2023 to amend the existing reservation laws. However, a petition filed by Gaurav Kumar challenged this decision, arguing that the Supreme Court’s ruling prohibits extending reservations beyond 50 percent.
Had the decision stood, the total reservation in Bihar would have reached 75 percent, including 20 percent for SCs, 2 percent for STs, 25 percent for Extremely Backward Classes, 18 percent for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and 10 percent for Economically Backward Classes.
This ruling follows a similar decision last year by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which struck down a Haryana government law providing 75 percent reservation in local industries for state residents. The Bihar High Court’s ruling underscores the judicial reinforcement of the constitutional ceiling on reservations, emphasizing adherence to the principles of equality.
