Patna High Court Requests Nitish Government's Affidavit on Bihar's Quota Increase Challenges

Patna High Court has asked the Bihar government to respond to petitions contesting increased reservations for various groups. The challenge concerns the recent expansion to 65%, above the 50% cap set by a prior Supreme Court ruling. The government's reliance on a caste survey is also under scrutiny amidst political debates.

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The Patna High Court has demanded a response from the Bihar government regarding petitions challenging increased quotas. Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran directed the government to address the issue within four weeks. Advocates representing the government were asked to file a counter affidavit.

Petitioners contest the recent legislation, labelling it "unconstitutional" due to surpassing the 50% reservation cap set by a previous Supreme Court ruling. They highlight that changes can only occur in "extremely exceptional cases" as per the Indra Sawhney case.

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Critics accuse the Nitish Kumar government of boosting quotas solely based on the increased backward class population. A recent caste survey projected OBCs and EBCs to make up 63.13%. However, petitioners challenge the authenticity of this data, labelling it "politically motivated."

The BJP alleges the caste survey inflated numbers to favour the RJD, while Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav dismissed the accusations. Meanwhile, political tensions rise as the government accuses the BJP of hindering EBC reservations in local polls.

Both sides engage in a blame game, with the Nitish Kumar government accusing the BJP of anti-reservation sentiments. The BJP denies this, emphasizing its history of supporting pro-reservation legislation.

In essence, the court's scrutiny intensified amidst allegations and counter-allegations between the Bihar government and opposition parties.