Bihar Polity HM
1. Constitutional & Executive Setup
- Bihar is a State under Article 1 of the Constitution.
- Article 371F grants special provisions, including:
- Reserved seats for SC/ST,
- Enhanced representation in local bodies,
- Historical precedence for Gram Katchahary 1
- Governor (Article 153) is appointed by the President of India.
- As of 2025: Arif Mohammad Khan (since 2 Jan 2025) 2
- Chief Minister (Article 164): Nitish Kumar (real executive)
2. Legislature
► Vidhan Sabha
- 243 seats, elected via FPTP
- Tenure: 5 years
- PYQ (66th BPSC): Assembly strength → 243
► Vidhan Parishad
- 75 members (63 elected + 12 nominated by Governor)
- Indirect elections (MLAs, graduates, teachers)
- Permanent body; one-third members retire every 2 years
- Bihar is among only 6–7 states with Legislative Council 3
3. Judiciary
- Patna High Court:
- Founded: 3 Feb 1916; functional from 1 Mar 1916 4
- Chief Justice (2025): Krishnan Vinod Chandran
- Writ jurisdiction: Article 226
🧠 PYQ: High Court establishment year → 1916
4. Local Governance
Panchayati Raj
- Enacted via 73rd Amendment and Bihar Panchayati Raj Act, 2006
- Three-tier structure:
- Gram Panchayat (~8,400)
- Panchayat Samiti (~534)
- Zila Parishad (38)
- Reservation:
- Horizontal: 50% women in all tiers
- Vertical: SC (~16%), ST (~1%), EBC (~18%), BC (~12%), EWS (~10%) → total ≥ 65%
- Gram Katchahary resolves approx. 87% local disputes, a unique provision under Article 371F 5
Urban Local Bodies
- Under 74th Amendment and Bihar Municipal Act, 2007
- Includes Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats
5. Commission & State Institutions
- Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC):
- Constitutional basis: Article 315
- Established on 1 April 1949
- Functions include recruitment for state Group A & B services
PYQ: Article governing BPSC → Article 315
- State Election Commission and Finance Commission also play key roles in governance and fiscal devolution
6. Political Representation
| Body | Seats |
|---|---|
| Lok Sabha | 40 |
| Rajya Sabha | 16 |
7. Historical Figures & Movements
- First CM: Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha
- First Governor: Jairamdas Daulatram
- Historic movements: Sampoorna Kranti (1974) led by JP Narayan
- Past leaders: JP Narayan, Karpoori Thakur, Lalu Prasad Yadav
- As per Eduteria, Bihar’s political culture is shaped by OBC-EBC mobilization and caste dynamics, with reserved governance under Article 371F 6
🔢 Quick-Catch Facts
- Biennial renewal: Every 2 years, 1/3 of Council members retire
- Gram Katchahary handles 87% of local disputes
- Reservation in PRIs: 50% Women, total quotas ≥ 65%
- ‘371F’ → only state-specific constitutional provision for Bihar
- Patna HC: estd. 1916, functional from 1 Mar
- Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan (from Jan 2025)
🔍 PYQs & MCQ Triggers
- Which article created the Bihar Legislative Council? → Article 169
- Number of seats in Bihar Vidhan Sabha? → 243
- Year of Patna High Court establishment? → 1916
- Women reservation in Panchayati Raj? → 50%
- Constitutional power appointing Governor? → President
- Article empowering Gram Katchahary? → indirectly 371F
- Constitutional Article for BPSC? → 315
🗂️ Sources
- Eduteria Bihar Tathya Sangrah (2024–25) 7
- BPSC Polity Notes & Bihar PSCExam Notes 8
- Wikipedia (Patna High Court, Legislative Council) 9
- Eduteria current affairs and institutional analysis 10