Patna High Court Strikes Down Bihar's 65% Reservation Quota on June 20

Jun 20, 2024, 07:01 AM

The Patna High Court has nullified the Bihar government's decision to increase the reservation quota for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) from 50% to 65%. The court ruled on June 20, 2024, that the amendments, which were based on a caste survey, violated Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution. The decision affects reservations in government jobs and educational institutions, reducing the open merit category to 35%. The Bihar Reservation (for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes) (Amendment) Act, 2023, and related amendments were set aside as ultra vires.