Bihar govt makes pitch for OBC reservation in lower judiciary

Bihar government today made a strong pitch for reservation to OBCs in lower judiciary saying a "different yardstick" should not be applied to it in the issue as a number of states alreadyhave provisions for quota for the backward classes in lower courts and government services.
"The state government has taken positive steps to provide reservation to backward classes in lower judiciarybut the honourable High Court (Patna) has not given its consent to the proposal.It is significant to note thatreservation is being provided to backward classes in lower judiciary and government services in other states.
"There is no proper reason for applying a different yardstick to Bihar. Hence the proposal to provide quota to backward classes in lower judiciary should also be accepted," Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said in his written speech at the 'Joint Conference of Chief Ministers of States and Chief Justices of the High Courts' held here.

In the speech, which was delivered on his behalf by Bihar Law Minister Krishannandan PrasadVerma, the Chief Minister said there is need for sufficient fund to increase the number of non-gazetted employees and judicial officers to enlarge the fundamental structure of the judiciary which a state like Bihar is finding difficult to carry out due to paucity of resources.
"Hence increasing financial help should be considered under the centrally sponsored scheme to increase infrastructure under 14th Finance Commission," Kumar said.
Kumar rued that while earlier the central-state fund ratio to improve the infrastructure of the judiciary was fixed at 75: 25, it has now been changed to 60:40 which is "not appropriate".

Kumar also noted that the Centre has not released its fund in this head so far for the financial year 2015-16.
Noting that there is "huge crunch" of resources in Bihar, Kumar said the state needs financial assistance from the Centre to strengthen the judicial system in the state and sought funding from the centralgovernment to implement a state government's scheme to provide facilities to lawyers.
The Chief Minister also chose the occasion to highlight a number of measures taken by his government to facilitate speedy disposal of justice and upgrade the judicial infrastructure.