In a pivotal move, the Bihar government has declared a 10% reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS) in both the state’s judicial services and government-affiliated law colleges and universities. This decision was ratified during a cabinet assembly presided over by the Chief Minister.
Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat) S Siddhartha, as cited by The New Indian Express, stated,
“The cabinet approved amendments in the guidelines of the State Judicial Services, 1951, allowing 10 per cent reservation for EWS category in judicial services and also in state-run law institutes and universities.”
He further added that a detailed notification regarding this will soon be dispatched by the relevant department.
This groundbreaking decision comes on the heels of the unveiling of the inaugural data from the government’s caste survey. The data reveals that the Extremely Backward Communities (EBCs) make up 36.01% of the population, while an additional 27.12% belong to the Backward Classes. Together, these groups, categorized as the Other Backward Classes (OBC), account for a significant 63.13% of the state’s populace.
Earlier, the Patna High Court had endorsed the legitimacy of the state’s caste survey, describing the Bihar Government’s decision to initiate a caste-centric survey in the state as
“perfectly valid, initiated with due competence.”
In a comprehensive 101-page judgment, a bench comprising Chief Justice K. Vinod Chandran and Justice Partha Sarthy unequivocally stated that the state’s rationale cannot be dismissed, emphasizing that the
“purpose (of the survey) is to identify the Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes with the aim of uplifting them and ensuring equal opportunities to them.”
However, this verdict by the Patna High Court is currently under scrutiny in the Supreme Court, with the next hearing slated for October 6.
Patna High Court had previously ascertained that the state’s decision to conduct the caste survey was both valid and initiated with the right intent, aiming to foster
“development with justice.”
The High Court, in its judgment dated August 1, led by Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Partha Sarthy, concluded that this initiative does not infringe on an individual’s privacy rights, given that it aligns with a compelling public interest and a legitimate state objective. The Supreme Court is set to review the High Court’s decision, with the case anticipated to be heard on October 6.
