Patna HC lifts stay, allows Bihar govt to continue with caste survey; check details

The verdict was delivered in response to various petitions challenging the caste-based survey. Advocate Dinu Kumar, representing the petitioners, revealed that the High Court had dismissed all petitions against the caste census.

The Patna High Court on Tuesday (August 1) made a significant decision by lifting the stay on the caste survey initiated by the Bihar government under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership. The High Court had previously ordered an interim stay on the survey on May 4, which was later addressed by a bench comprising Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Partha Sarthy.

The verdict was delivered in response to various petitions challenging the caste-based survey. Advocate Dinu Kumar, representing the petitioners, revealed that the High Court had dismissed all petitions against the caste census. However, he further stated that they plan to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.

The caste survey was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved a household counting exercise that took place between January 7 and 21. The second phase, which commenced on April 15 and was scheduled to continue until May 15, aimed to gather information on people's caste identities and their socio-economic conditions.

Nevertheless, on May 4, the Patna High Court imposed an interim stay on the survey, expressing concerns that it seemingly amounted to a census, which the state government lacked the authority to conduct.

With the recent lifting of the stay, the Bihar government can now proceed with the caste survey. The Supreme Court challenge, however, adds a new dimension to the ongoing legal battle over the issue. As the matter unfolds, the fate and future of the caste-based survey in Bihar remain subject to further legal scrutiny and deliberation.