The draft bill for a 10% reservation in education and government jobs for the Maratha community received approval from the Maharashtra government, led by CM Eknath Shinde, on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government held a special one-day session of the Vidhan Sabha, with the key agenda centered around the issue of ‘Maratha reservation’.
Last week, CM Shinde asserted that his government would provide reservation to the Maratha community without altering the reservations of other communities.
The Maratha community, led by Jarange Patil, has been advocating for reservations in education and employment under the OBC category. However, the proposal for reservation under the Kunbi category has faced opposition within the Maharashtra government, particularly from senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal.
In a special session of the state legislature, the Shinde government in Maharashtra exceeded the 50% reservation threshold by extending reservations to Marathas.
The Maratha Reservation Bill bears resemblance to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act of 2018, which was introduced by former CM Devendra Fadnavis.
In Maharashtra, there already exists a 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), where the Maratha community constitutes the largest beneficiary, availing 85% of the reservation.
The extension of reservation was made following a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC), led by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre. On Friday, Shukre presented a report on the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community, based on a survey conducted across approximately 2.5 crore households within a mere nine-day timeframe.
The committee recommended a 10% reservation for Marathas in both education and employment opportunities. However, it’s worth noting that in 2021, the Supreme Court of India invalidated reservations for Marathas in college admissions and jobs in Maharashtra. The apex court ruled that there were no extraordinary circumstances to warrant exceeding the 50% cap on total reservations. Despite the state filing a review plea, it was rejected, prompting the submission of a curative petition.