On Friday, the Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and the State government on a plea of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) against a Patna High Court order setting aside the amended reservation laws in Bihar that had led to hiking of quotas for Dalits, tribals and backward classes from 50 per cent to 65 percent.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for RJD, that the plea needed to be decided. “Issue notice and tag with the pending pleas,” the CJI said.

The top court on July 29 this year, while hearing other similar 10 pleas, had refused to stay the High Court order that set aside the amended reservation laws in Bihar that enabled the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar government to increase quotas from 50 per cent to 65.

The bench, however, had agreed to hear the petitions of the Bihar government against the verdict. The State government has also moved the top court against the High Court judgement.

The High Court, in its June 20 verdict, declared that the amendments, passed unanimously by the State’s bicameral legislature in November last year, were ultra vires of the Constitution, bad in law and violative of the equality clause.

A division bench of the High Court had allowed a bunch of petitions challenging the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes) (Amendment) Act, 2023 and the Bihar (in admission in educational institutions) Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023, while leaving the parties to suffer their respective costs.

In an 87-page judgement, the High Court had made it clear that it saw no extenuating circumstance enabling the State to breach the 50-per cent cap on reservations laid down by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case.

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on Friday joined the Congress party in the presence of party general secretary KC Venugopal, party leader Pawan Khera, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria.

Speaking to media after joining the grand old party, Phogat expressed her gratitude to the party and said in Hindi, ‘Kehte hain na ki bure time mein pata lagta hai ki apna kaun hai’ (It is said that in bad times we find out who is ours).

She added saying when they were being dragged on the road, all parties except BJP were with them. “I feel proud that I have joined a party that stands with women and is ready to fight from ‘sadak to sansad'”, Phogat said.

The wrestler said the fight is continuing, it hasn’t ended yet. It’s in Court. “We will win that fight as well. With the new platform that we are getting today, we will work for the service of the nation”, she added.

She said, “The way we played our game with heart, we will give our best to work for our people. I want to tell my sisters, that I am with them. If there will be no one for you, I will be there, the Congress party will be there. I have felt this, and I can assure you that we will be there for sure.”

Punia, the fellow wrestler who also joined the party, said: “What BJP IT Cell is saying today is that we just wanted to do politics. We had written to all women BJP MPs to stand with us but they still didn’t come.”

He added, “We are paying to raise the voices of women but now we know that BJP stands with atrocities against women, and all other parties stand with us.” He promised to work hard to strengthen the Congress party and the nation. The day Vinesh qualified for finals the country was happy but the next day everyone was sad, Punia said, at that time, one IT Cell was celebrating.

Before joining the Congress today, they met with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in New Delhi. Sharing a picture on social media platform X, Kharge said in Hindi: “Chak de India, Chak de Haryana! Meeting our talented champions Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia who have made India proud in the world at 10 Rajaji Marg. We are proud of both of you.”

The Uttarakhand government has said that participation of state employees in morning and evening meetings and other cultural and social activities of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will not be considered a violation of Uttarakhand State Employees Conduct Rules-2002.

Regarding this, Additional Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan has issued orders that state employees can participate in RSS programs provided this work does not cause any hindrance in their official duties and responsibilities.

Additional Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan, in a letter dated September 5, said after due deliberation by the government, it has been decided that participation of any government employee in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh branch in morning and evening meetings and other cultural/social activities will not be considered as a violation of Uttarakhand State Employees Conduct Rules, 2002 (as amended from time to time).

Vardhan further stated that such participation or contribution could be done only before and after government office hours.

“In this connection, I have been directed that a Government employee can participate or contribute to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) branch (morning/evening meeting) and other cultural/social activities only on the condition that this work does not cause any hindrance in his official duties and responsibilities. Such participation or contribution can be done only before and after Government office hours,” he added.

He further stated that in this regard, all the government orders issued earlier should be deemed superseded.

Earlier an order reportedly issued by the Ministry of Personnel that permits government servants to part in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had resulted in a war of words between the Opposition and the BJP.

BJP leader Amit Malviya said that the unconstitutional order issued 58 years ago imposing a ban on government employees from taking part in RSS activities has been withdrawn by the Central government.

“The unconstitutional order issued 58 years ago, in 1966, imposing a ban on government employees taking part in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been withdrawn by the Modi government. The original order shouldn’t have been passed in the first place,” Malviya stated on X on Monday citing the July 9 order.

“The ban was imposed because, on November 7, 1966, there was a massive anti-cow-slaughter protest at the Parliament. RSS-Jana Sangh mobilised support in lakhs. Many died in police firing. On 30 Nov 1966, shaken by the RSS-Jana Sangh clout, Indira Gandhi banned Govt staff from joining the RSS,” he added.