Tejashwi writes to Nitish, seeks fresh quota laws

Patna, Jun 5 (PTI) RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday wrote to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, demanding a special session of the assembly where fresh legislations could be brought for raising quotas for the weaker sections of the society to "85 per cent".

Yadav, who is the Leader of the Opposition, shared on social media a letter in which he charged the state government with "deliberately" dragging its feet on the issue.

The suggestion of the RJD leader, who was the deputy CM when reservations were hiked to 75 per cent, is that the fresh legislations be immediately sent to the Centre for being placed in the ninth schedule of the Constitution.

He recalled that the previous legislations, passed in 2023, was set aside by the Patna High Court, which took the view that the hike in quotas did not follow a "scientific study" that could highlight such a need.

The rise in quotas was effected on the basis of an ambitious survey of castes, which had shown an increase in population percentage of Dalits and backward classes compared with the 1931 census, when enumeration of various social groups had last taken place.

Yadav cited the example of Tamil Nadu, where "69 per cent quotas are in force", and added that Bihar, too, could have its reservation laws protected against judicial intervention by getting these placed in the ninth schedule.

The RJD leader called for an "all-party committee" for drafting of the new legislations, followed by "a special session" for the passage of these.

He also charged the BJP, which shares power in the state and rules the Centre, with being opposed to reservations, blaming "RSS ideology" for the alleged outlook.

Yadav’s demands come ahead of the assembly polls, due later this year. PTI NAC RBT