Bihar Government Reverses Multiple Decisions Within Five Months of Choudhary Taking Office

Nearly five months after Samrat Choudhary took over as Bihar's Chief Minister on April 15, 2026, replacing Nitish Kumar, his government has reversed or amended close to half a dozen decisions in the face of public protests and opposition criticism.

The most recent reversal concerns the Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE-4). The Bihar Public Service Commission had announced in August 2026 that the exam would be held in two phases, a Preliminary Test followed by Mains. After large-scale protests by students and opposition leaders, the government agreed to conduct the exam in a single phase, a outcome seen as a significant win for the agitators.

Another climbdown came on land policy. In its first cabinet meeting on April 22, the government approved 11 new satellite townships and barred the sale, purchase, transfer and construction of land in those areas until a master plan was ready. Farmers and landowners objected, arguing the projects would threaten agricultural land and rural livelihoods, and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha called for an agitation in July. On August 12, the state cabinet lifted the restrictions on land transactions, though farmers continue to oppose the township plan and want it scrapped.

The government also retreated on holding tax for pucca and semi-pucca houses in villages and towns. The cabinet had empowered gram panchayats to levy and collect taxes, and the Panchayati Raj Department was amending provisions to collect fees from villagers. RJD MP Sudhakar Singh opposed the move, saying it would burden the poor and small businesses, and alleged that while large industrialists' bank loans were being written off, new taxes were being planned for rural residents.

On the Student Credit Card scheme, the government reduced the amount from the ₹4 lakh introduced by former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to ₹2 lakh. After backlash from students and the opposition, the August 19 decision was reversed and the ₹4 lakh limit restored with cabinet approval.

The state cabinet had also approved rules to collect user fees from all categories of vehicles on state highways and bridges. Amid mounting pressure, the Chief Minister changed course within 24 hours, saying private vehicles would be exempt and only commercial vehicles would pay.

A separate decision to temporarily merge the Chief Minister's residence at 5 Desh Ratna Marg with the CM's residence drew criticism, and Choudhary clarified that the arrangement was temporary. The property was later allotted to Health Minister Nishant Kumar.

Patna-based political analyst Dr. Sanjay Kumar attributed the reversals to decisions taken in haste without weighing their consequences, noting such episodes were rare during Nitish Kumar's tenure. He said the government wants to move fast and the Chief Minister is trying to outdo his predecessor on development, while sometimes making announcements to gauge public and opposition reaction.

When Choudhary completed 100 days in office on July 23, 2026, he said his administration had taken many historic decisions, all dedicated to public interest, good governance and Bihar's all-round development.