North News
New Delhi, July 30
The Supreme Court’s refusal on Monday to grant an interim stay on the Patna High Court’s June 20 order scrapping the Bihar government’s notifications raising the reservation cap from 50% to 65% has left Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with significant political challenges, according to Indian Express report. The news outlet The Indian Express reported that the decision has put Kumar in a position where he must seek legal immunity for the quota hike by attempting to include it in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. This move is crucial as the Ninth Schedule provides protection to certain laws from judicial review.
It is noted that during the recent Assembly session, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar informed the House that he had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assistance to include the quota hike decision in the Ninth Schedule. This inclusion is essential to safeguard the reservation increase from further legal challenges. However, garnering the Centre’s support is no easy task and requires substantial political negotiation and influence, especially given the current complex political landscape, the news outlet report said. The Bihar government now faces the dual challenge of addressing public expectations and countering opposition criticism. The reservation hike is widely popular among the communities that stand to benefit from it, and failure to implement it could result in significant political backlash. As highlighted by the Indian Express, Nitish Kumar must navigate these social and political intricacies while formulating a robust legal strategy to address the High Court’s objections, thereby ensuring the quota hike’s survival and maintaining his political credibility, The Indian Express reported.
