Ruckus in Bihar Assembly over reservation laws, proceedings adjourned till 2 pm

Patna: The Bihar Assembly was on Wednesday adjourned till 2 pm as Opposition members stood in the well of the House, demanding that the state's amended reservation laws be put in the ninth schedule of the Constitution.

The Opposition legislators did not relent despite repeated requests by Speaker Nand Kishor Yadav that they take their seats and words of admonition from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who stood up to intervene.

"It was at my instance that you all agreed to a caste survey after which quotas for SCs, STs, OBCs and the extremely backward classes were hiked," said Kumar.

He told the House that the Patna High Court has "set aside the reservation laws, we have moved the Supreme Court. A formal request has also been made to the Centre for putting these in the ninth schedule".

Notably, quotas for deprived castes were hiked to 65 per cent through the laws passed in November last year, which the Patna High Court quashed last month.

Placing the laws, which breach the 50 per cent cap on quotas set by the Supreme Court, in the ninth schedule would make these immune to judicial review.

The Opposition members, however, continued to relentlessly shout slogans, causing the septuagenarian chief minister to blow a fuse.

Waving his fingers at one of the legislators, he screamed, "You are a lady. Do you realise that it was only after I assumed power that women started getting their due in Bihar?"

Perturbed by the shouts of "Nitish Kumar Hai! Hai! (down down with Nitish Kumar), he hit back "sabka Hai! Hai!".

The Speaker, who had tried to run the Question Hour amid the din, said, "It seems the intent is not to allow this House to run. Even an explanation given by the chief minister on issues being raised by the opposition has been of no avail. Hence, the proceedings are adjourned till 2 pm".