Day after stay on caste survey, Bihar govt seeks early hearing in HC

The HC order came days after the Supreme Court told the petitioners that the Patna high court should hear the matter.

A day after the Patna High Court stayed the caste survey Bihar with immediate effect, the state government on Friday filed an interim application before it for an early hearing of the case.

Patna high court (HT file)

“We have filed an intern application for an early date of hearing in the case. The court has fixed July 3 as the next date of hearing. We have prayed for an early hearing,” state’s advocate general PK Shahi said.

Shahi said the order is being studied and the government will decide on its options.

The bench of Chief Justice of HC K Vinod Chandran and Justice Madhuresh Prasad had on Thursday directed the Bihar government “to immediately stop the caste-based survey and ensure that the data already collected are secured and not shared with anybody till final orders are passed in the writ petition”.

Barely a few hours later, the government issued an order to all the district magistrates to ensure compliance of the court directive and necessary instructions to other officials in this regard.

Chief Secretary Amir Subhani said the general administrative department (GAD) was studying the order to decide future course of action. The GAD is with chief minister Nitish Kumar.

The HC order came days after the Supreme Court told the petitioners that the Patna high court should hear the matter on merits and decide as early as possible, “preferably” in three days.

The first round of the caste survey in Bihar was conducted between January 7 and 21. The second round started on April 15 and was scheduled to continue till May 15.