AMN / PATNA
The Patna High Court today ordered a stay on the caste survey being conducted by the Bihar government. The high court fixed July 3 as the next date for the hearing.
The High Court directed the Nitish Kumar-led government to stop the caste-based survey in the state with immediate effect.
The high court further directed the government to ensure the safety of the data collected by the government so far. It said the data must not be shared with anybody till the final orders are passed in the writ petition filed against the survey.
The division bench of Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Madhuresh Prasad rebuked the state government for being not responsible for the right to privacy and said: “We also see from the notification issued that the government intends to share the data with leaders of different parties of the state Assembly.”
Following the court order, the opposition BJP launched a scathing attack against the government for forming a “defective policy”. Former Bihar deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad also slammed the government for not presenting its case properly before the court.
Responding to the BJP’s attack, RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said that the Mahagathbandhan government respects the stay put in place by Patna High Court.