Nitish annuls 36 decisions taken by Manjhi

The Nitish Kumar government on Wednesday evening annulled 36 decisions made by Jitan Ram Manjhi Cabinet between February 10 and February 18.

 This includes the decision to pay 13 months’ salary to Bihar policemen (instead of 12 months) and reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs) while giving government contracts.

Nitish, soon after taking oath last month, had said that he would review all the Cabinet decisions taken by Manjhi in February, as the latter had lost confidence of the House but was still holding one Cabinet meet after another every alternate day.

Even the Patna High Court had restrained Manjhi from taking any decision. A division bench of Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari and Justice Samrendra Pratap Singh had passed orders restraining Manjhi from taking policy decision which would have implication of creating financial liability on the State.

However, a day later, the High Court vacated the stay on court’s order. The HC bench headed by Chief Justice L Narasimha Reddy said Manjhi was free to take decisions but it would be implemented with effect from February 21 only after he wins the trust vote.