In a big development that can have an impact on Maharashtra'a politics, Bombay High Court on Thursday upheld Maratha reservation awarded by the Maharashtra Government. A petition had been filed in the court challenging the constitutional validity of the reservation. However, the decision has come in favour of awarding reservation to the Maratha community.
"We hold and declare that the state government possesses legislative competence to create a separate category of the Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) and grant reservation," the court said.
However, Bombay High Court said that Maratha quota should be reduced from 16 per cent to 12 to 13 per cent.
Maharashtra Government was defending Maratha quota against petitions questioning its constitutional validity. State government argued that reservation was the only way to ensure the upliftment of Maratha community.
The petitioners challenging the quota, however, claimed that by granting reservation to the Maratha community, the government has given them permanent crutches which they will never be able to shake off.
The petitioners had argued that the government has destroyed the concept of equality by setting up a special category - Socially and Educationally Backward Class - for the Maratha community.
On November 30, 2018, the Maharashtra legislature passed a bill granting 16 per cent reservation in education and government jobs for the Marathas, declared a socially and educationally backward class by the state government.
(With PTI inputs)
Watch | Bombay High Court upholds Maratha quota
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