Supreme Court Denies Stay on Bihar Reservation Amendment Order

In a major blow to the Bihar government, the Supreme Court has refused to stay the Patna High Court's order overturning amendments to reservation laws that aimed to increase quotas for Dalits, tribals, and backward classes from 50% to 65%. The Bench has agreed to hear the appeals in September.

In a setback to the Bihar government, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay a Patna High Court order overturning the amended reservation laws in the state. These laws enabled the Nitish Kumar administration to increase quotas for Dalits, tribals, and backward classes from 50% to 65%.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, however, agreed to hear 10 petitions filed by the Bihar government against the Patna HC verdict.

The top court, which did not even issue notices on the pleas, granted leave for appeal and scheduled the petitions for a hearing in September.

Appearing for the state government, senior advocate Shyam Divan urged the bench to stay the HC order, referencing a similar case in Chhattisgarh where the high court's order was stayed by the top court.

''We will list the matter, but we will not grant any stay (on the HC verdict),'' stated the CJI.

In its June 20 verdict, the High Court declared the amendments, which were passed unanimously by the state's bicameral legislature in November last year, as ''ultra vires'' of the Constitution, ''bad in law,'' and ''violative of the equality clause.''

(With inputs from agencies.)