Supreme Court judge Sanjay Karol on Wednesday recused himself from hearing a plea filed by the Bihar government challenging a Patna High Court order granting a stay on the caste survey it was conducting.
Justice Karol, who was the chief justice of the Patna High Court before being elevated as apex court judge on February 6, said that he was party to some of the related litigations which were earlier heard in the high court.
The apex court bench, also comprising Justice B R Gavai then directed that the matter be placed before CJI D Y Chandrachud for constitution of an appropriate bench.
In an appeal filed before the Supreme Court against the May 4 order of the high court, the Bihar government said the stay will adversely affect the entire exercise. The state said the collection of caste-based data is a constitutional mandate under Articles 15 and 16.