Bihar caste survey: SC judge recuses from hearing

Patna, May 17 The hearing in the caste-based survey case in the Supreme Court was postponed on Wednesday after Justice Sanjay Karol withdrew his name from the bench of judges to hear a plea of the Bihar government challenging a Patna High Court order granting a stay on the survey it was conducting.

Justice Sanjay Karol recused himself from hearing the plea. He was the chief justice of Patna High Court till a few months ago and had been part of the proceedings.

Following the interim stay order passed by the double bench of the present chief justice of Patna High Court, K.V. Chandran on May 4, the Bihar government moved the Supreme Court challenging the order.

The Patna High Court had said that the Bihar government had no constitutional authority to conduct caste-based survey. The high court also set the case for next hearing on July 3.

Earlier, the case related to the caste-based survey had come twice before the Supreme court, and it had transferred the same to the Patna High Court.

Meanwhile, the Bihar government has hinted at making a new law pertaining to the caste-based survey.

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