SC refuses to stay HC order scrapping Bihar’s 65% quota

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to pause Patna High Court's order, which had scrapped the 65 per cent quota for Backward Classes in Bihar.

The Bihar government had filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the high court's order to scrap the government's decision to increase the reservations from 50 per cent to 65 per cent. The Supreme Court said that the matter will be taken up for a detailed hearing in September.

A division bench of the Patna High Court had on June 20 struck down the amendments passed by the Bihar Assembly in 2023, saying that they are beyond the powers of the constitution and violate the equality clause under Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution.

After that, the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government had moved the Supreme Court against the high court's order on July 2.

Notably, the Bihar Assembly had passed the Reservation Amendment Bill in November 2023. The bill was passed in the state assembly without Nitish Kumar’s presence. The amended reservation quota included 20 per cent for Scheduled Castes, 2 per cent for Scheduled Tribes, 43 per cent for Other Backward Classes, and Extremely Backward Classes.