Bihar Politics & Governance

Begusarai court sentences Manju Verma and husband to seven years

1 August 2026

A Begusarai MP-MLA court sentenced former Bihar minister Manju Verma and her husband, Chandrashekhar Verma, to seven years’ imprisonment each in an Arms Act case. The sentences of seven and five years under two sections will run concurrently; the case followed the recovery of 50 cartridges during a 2018 search of Verma’s ancestral home.

Key Facts

• The Arms Act, 1959 regulates arms and ammunition to curb illegal weapons and related violence.

Bihar Cabinet approves AMRUT 2.0 water projects for Kishanganj and Lakhisarai

1 August 2026

The Bihar Cabinet approved two AMRUT 2.0 water-supply projects for Kishanganj and Lakhisarai, with a combined cost of more than ₹204.68 crore. The plans include new household connections in both cities; Lakhisarai’s project also provides for a 35-MLD water-treatment plant and SCADA-based monitoring.

Key Facts

• AMRUT’s urban-service mission aims to extend assured tap water and sewerage connections to every household.
• SCADA combines computers, communications and interfaces to supervise and monitor operational systems.

Commission reports 2,451 assistant-professor selections for Bihar colleges

1 August 2026

The Bihar State University Service Commission published its selection result for assistant-professor posts in 211 newly created degree colleges. The Commission reported that 2,451 candidates were selected on a contractual basis, including 1,980 Bihar residents; it said the selection process began in the first week of July.

Key Facts

• Bihar-resident candidates alone are eligible for the 60% reserved seats for specified disadvantaged and economically weaker categories.

Draft Pataliputra Satellite Township Master Plan released for feedback

2 August 2026

Bihar’s Urban Development and Housing Department released the draft Pataliputra Satellite Township Master Plan 2047 for public feedback. The proposed township covers about 81 sq km and includes 273 villages across nine urban local bodies and nine blocks.

The draft sets out phased development, including transport links and water-management infrastructure. Residents have 60 days to submit objections and suggestions before the plan is considered for final approval.

Key Facts

• The proposed sponge-city approach aims to reduce urban flooding while preserving natural water flows.
• The first phase proposes a central business district, IT park, medical city, educational institutions, roads and initial housing.

Centre releases ₹10,845 crore to Bihar as advance tax share

2 August 2026

The Centre released ₹10,845 crore to Bihar as part of an advance distribution of central tax revenues to states. The release was separate from the regular monthly tax-devolution instalment scheduled for 10 August.

The funds were released to support state finances and development spending. Bihar received the second-largest share in this advance release, after Uttar Pradesh.

Key Facts

• The Finance Commission ’s formula determines states’ shares of the Union’s tax revenues, supporting fiscal transfers between governments.

Prashant Kishor wins Bankipur Assembly by-election

3 August 2026

Jan Suraaj Party candidate Prashant Kishor won the Bankipur Assembly by-election in Patna, securing 64,151 votes. BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar received 44,827 votes, while RJD candidate Rekha Kumari placed third with 14,273.

Counting concluded in 32 rounds. A total of 130,313 votes were cast, as reported in coverage published on 3 August.

Key Facts

• Jan Suraaj Party grew out of a grassroots campaign engaging Bihar residents to develop a governance roadmap.

Bihar’s paperless land-registration rollout encounters local challenges

3 August 2026

Paperless land registration began in Munger on 3 August, shifting document submission and verification to digital processes. Later reports described deed writers’ strikes affecting registration work in Bhojpur, while paperless registration was also operating in Purnia.

The rollout is intended to digitise records and streamline registration, but local implementation experiences differed during August.

Key Facts

• The system uses online PDF submissions, digital identity checks, electronic signatures and e-KYC for registration.
• Registered documents are issued as PDF e-copies carrying QR codes to help verify their authenticity.

Patna High Court upholds eligibility for family pension under Muslim personal law

4 August 2026

The Patna High Court held that a Muslim widow could not be denied family pension solely because she was the deceased government employee’s second wife, if the marriage was valid under Muslim personal law and no applicable service rule barred it.

The court directed officials to complete the pension process under the applicable rules. The case concerned ...