A Mumbai lawyer filed a plea in the Bombay High Court challenging the law passed by the Maharashtra State legislature granting 10 per cent reservation to Marathas under the Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) category in jobs and education.
The law which was passed on February 20 – the notification was issued on February 26 – was formulated by the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led government based on a report of the Justice (retired) Sunil B Shukre-led Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC). The report had said “exceptional circumstances and extraordinary situations exist” and this warrants granting reservation to the Maratha community in excess of 50 per cent total reservation in the state.
The writ petition filed by advocate Jaishri Laxmanrao Patil and others, including Gunratan Sadavarte, Shankarrao Linge and Rajaram Patil, has claimed that former high court judge Justice Shukre’s appointment as MSBCC chairperson was against the law and should be quashed and set aside.
The petitioners sought a stay on the effect of the law pending disposal of the plea and that no advertisements for SEBC category reservation for jobs and educational courses be issued till then. It sought to make the MSBCC report available to petitioners as it was provided during earlier litigation against the 2018 Maratha quota law.
Meanwhile, Vinod Patil, one of the key coordinators of Maratha Kranti Morcha, has filed a caveat in the high court to hear his submissions.