The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on August 18 multiple petitions claiming that the Bihar caste-based survey was an attempt by the Nitish Kumar government to “usurp” the Centre’s powers.
Appearing before a Bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the petitioners, represented by a battery of lawyers led by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, urged the court to stay the implementation of the Patna High Court decision allowing the State government to go ahead with the survey.
The Bench said any prohibitory move by the court at this stage would indirectly amount to a stay without hearing the State government side.
