In a landmark decision, the Patna High Court nullified Bihar's recent laws that had raised the reservation quotas for Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes from 50% to 65% in jobs and educational institutions. This significant ruling came from a division bench consisting of Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Harish Kumar, who declared the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (Amendment) Act, 2023, and The Bihar (In admission in Educational Institutions) Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023, unconstitutional. The court found these amendments in violation of the equality provisions enshrined in Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Indian Constitution.
The judgment was delivered in response to a series of petitions filed by individuals and organizations opposing the amendments introduced by the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government last year. Petitioners argued that increasing the reservation quota beyond the 50% cap set by the Supreme Court infringed on the Constitution's basic structure.
In a detailed 153-page verdict, the High Court emphasized that the state legislature could not alter a constitutional framework already interpreted by the Supreme Court. Citing landmark cases like Indra Sawhney and others, the bench asserted that exceeding the 50% reservation limit would breach the constitutional principle of equality.
To get free legal advice: https://www.advotalks.com/
For More Legal Updates visit our youtube channel
