Patna HC seeks Bihar govt response on pleas challenging hike in quota

PATNA: The Patna High Court on Friday asked the Bihar government to file its reply on petitions challenging the recent hike in reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes. A Division Bench headed by chief justice K Vinod Chandran asked the state government, which was represented by Advocate General PK Shahi, to file its counter affidavit within four weeks.

"The court bunched together the Public interest Litigations and sought a counter affidavit within four weeks," said advocate Vikas Kumar, who is assisting Shahi in the matter.

The petitioners contend that the legislations passed by the Bihar assembly last month, raising quotas in government jobs and educational institutions to 65% in addition to 10% reservations for economically weaker sections, were "unconstitutional".