Maharashtra govt to file curative petition in SC on reservation to Maratha Community

Mumbai: A day after the Supreme Court dismissed a review petition on the Maratha reservation, Maharashtra Government will file a curative petition in the apex court. The Eknath Shinde government will also set up a new commission to conduct a survey afresh to establish the community's backwardness, officials said on Friday. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The meeting, which was held in the backdrop of the apex court rejecting the state government's review petition was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The five 5-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the review petition filed by the Maharashtra government (then MVA Govt on June 23, 2021) challenging the May 05, 2021, judgment which declared a law which provides reservation benefits to the Maratha community taking the quota limit in the State in excess of 50 per cent, as unconstitutional.

Despite the setback, doors are not closed on the Maratha reservation case, the Chief Minister's Office said in the statement. The process of filing a curative petition should begin immediately, and the new "comprehensive survey", to be conducted in a "scientific way", should rope in efficient, non-biased organisations which should be provided all facilities along with human resources, Shinde told the officials.

The Supreme Court on May 5, 2021, struck down reservations for the Maratha community in college admissions and jobs in Maharashtra, saying that there were no exceptional circumstances to justify the breach of the 50 per cent ceiling on overall reservations. The state government then filed a review petition, which was also rejected on Thursday.

(With PTI inputs)

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