Patna High Court has been challenged by a petition filed by Gaurav Kumar and Naman Shreshth, seeking to increase the reservation limit in Bihar to 65%. The petition challenges the constitutional validity of the Bihar Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023 and the Bihar Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023, which increased the reservation limit to 65%. The petitioners also demanded an immediate stay on the implementation of these acts. It is important to note that the Bihar Legislative Assembly passed the amendment bill on November 10, 2023, and it was approved by the Governor on November 18, 2023.
Violation of Equal Rights of Appointment
According to the petition, the reservation system was established to provide proper representation to socially and educationally backward classes, and not based on population ratio. The amended laws passed by the Bihar government in 2023 violate the fundamental rights of equal rights of appointment in government jobs and also violate the fundamental rights related to discrimination.
Increase in Reservation Percentage
The reservation percentage for Scheduled Castes has been increased from 16% to 20%. The reservation percentage for Scheduled Tribes has been increased from 1% to 2%. The reservation percentage for the Backward Class has been increased from 12% to 18%, and the reservation percentage for the Extremely Backward Class has been increased from 18% to 25%.
Amendment Bill Published by Bihar Government
The Bihar government has increased the reservation limit to 65% through the Reservation Amendment Bill. The reservation for Economically Weaker Sections, which accounts for 10% reservation, will now be added, resulting in a total of 75% reservation. The Bihar government published the amendment in the gazette on November 21, 2023. From now on, Scheduled Castes/Tribes, Backward Class, and Extremely Backward Class will benefit from the 65% reservation in educational institutions and jobs.
पटना हाईकोर्ट में एक जनहित याचिका दायर की गई है, जिसमें बिहार में आरक्षण की सीमा को बढ़ाकर 65 प्रतिशत करने के मामले को चुनौती दी गई है। याचिकाकर्ताओं ने यह दावा किया है कि बिहार सरकार द्वारा संशोधित अधिनियम भारतीय संविधान के मौलिक अधिकारों का उल्लंघन करता है। बिहार सरकार ने हाल ही में आरक्षण संशोधन बिल के जरिए आरक्षण दायरा बढ़ाकर 65 प्रतिशत कर दिया है। इससे पहले अनुसूचित जाति, अनुसूचित जनजाति, पिछड़े और अति पिछड़े वर्गों को अलग-अलग प्रतिशतों में आरक्षण मिलता था। इस याचिका में याचिकाकर्ताओं ने तत्काल रोक लगाने की भी मांग की है। बिहार सरकार ने इसको लेकर गजट प्रकाशित कर दिया है।
