Bihar's quota hike to 65% struck down by Patna HC

On Thursday, the Patna HC struck down the hike in reservations in Bihar from 50 to 65 per cent for Dalits, backward classes, and tribals in government jobs and educational institutions.

A division bench led by Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Harish Kumar issued the ruling following the hearing of multiple pleas against the legislations introduced by Nitish Kumar's government in November 2023.

Bar and Bench reported that the court 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 in violation of equality clauses in Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Indian Constitution.

Representing one of the petitioners, lawyer Ritika Rani stated, "We argued that the changes to the reservation laws went against the Constitution".

The court had supposedly delayed giving its decision in March following the presentations from both parties.

On November 21, 2023, the JDU government released a gazette notifying an increase in the reservation quota for backward castes from 50 to 65 percent in Bihar's government jobs and educational institutions.

Following Tamil Nadu, Bihar was the second state to offer the highest reservation to backward classes.