Bihar

• 30 Jul 2024

SC Declines Interim Stay of Patna HC Decision

Why in News?

Recently, The Supreme Court has refused to stay the Patna High Court's order that set aside the increase in reservation for SC/STs, Backward Classes, and Extremely Backward Classes in Bihar from 50% to 65% in public employment and educational institutions.

Key Points

• The Patna High Court set aside the amended reservation laws in Bihar, which increased quotas for Dalits, tribals and backward classes from 50% to 65%, declaring the amendments as "ultra vires" of the Constitution, "bad in law" and "violative of the equality clause".
  • The amendments had followed a caste survey, which put the percentage of Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes at 63% of the state's total population, while SCs and STs were stated to have accounted for more than 21%.
• After the quotas were hiked, reserved seats in the state, including those for the economically weaker sections, came to be 75% of the total.

Reservation

• Reservation is a form of positive discrimination, created to promote equality among marginalised sections and to protect them from social and historical injustice.
• It gives preferential treatment to marginalised sections of society in employment and access to education.
• It was also originally developed to correct years of discrimination and to give a boost to disadvantaged groups.

Supreme Court Notice on Collapsing Bridges

Why in News?

Recently, The Supreme Court has asked the Bihar government to respond to a writ petition that highlights the recurring incidents of bridge collapses in the state.

Key Points

• The Chief Justice of India issued notice on the petition filed for a high-level structural audit of bridges in Bihar along with demolition or retrofitting of weak constructions to save lives.
• The petition has requested the court to establish a policy or system for the real-time monitoring of bridges, similar to the mechanism developed by the Roads and Transport Ministry for the preservation of National Highways and Centrally Sponsored Schemes. 
  • The focus of the policy should be on the "identification and implementation of real-time health monitoring of bridges using sensors".