Bill on 10% Maratha quota passed in Maharashtra Assembly
A bill that guarantees 10% reservation in jobs and educational institutions to the Maratha community was unanimously passed in the Maharashtra Assembly on Tuesday. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde tabled the bill, based on the recommendations of the state's backward class panel, earlier in the day. "We have proposed the reservation to Marathas without disturbing the existing quota," Shinde said in the House. Led by Manoj Jarange-Patil, the Marathas have been seeking a quota under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.
Why does this story matter?
The Shinde government's bill on the 10% Maratha quota is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, introduced by the then government led by Devendra Fadnavis. This is the third time in a decade that the state has introduced legislation for the Maratha reservation. The decision to convene Tuesday's special assembly session was prompted by Jarange-Patil's hunger strike. Notably, the state will undergo both Lok Sabha and assembly elections this year amid sustained protests by Maratha activists.
MSCBC submitted survey report on Friday
On Friday, the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes (MSCBC) presented a survey report on the Maratha community's social, financial, and educational status to CM Shinde. The survey, classifying Marathas as socially and educationally backward, covered about 2.5 crore families. Maharashtra currently allocates a 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), with Marathas being the primary beneficiaries, receiving 85% of the reservation. After the new bill, however, the Marathas will not be eligible for the EWS quota, officials said.
Legal challenge to Maratha quota
The Maharashtra government's attempts to introduce the Maratha quota were twice struck down by the courts due to the Supreme Court's 50% reservation cap. In 2021, the SC struck down reservations for Marathas in college admissions and jobs in the state. The court said there were no "exceptional circumstances" to justify the breach of the 50% on overall reservations. As of now, in Maharashtra, reservations are already at 52%. With a 10% Maratha quota, the reservations will reach 62%.
Opposition from other OBC groups
Meanwhile, the Maratha agitation has caused tension between the community and the more populous OBC community, which fears a dilution of its quota. OBC groups such as Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh have already announced they will challenge the Maratha quota bill in court. The OBC Jan Morcha said it would challenge the "bogus" survey that declared Marathas backward. To recall, state minister and OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal resigned from the Maharashtra cabinet in November 2023 due to the Maratha quota issue.
SP demands 5% quota for Muslims
Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party on Tuesday demanded a 5% reservation for Muslims in jobs and educational institutes in the state. Welcoming the Maratha quota, SP MLA Rais Shaikh said that the Muslim community should also get quota benefits. He appealed to Deputy CM Ajit Pawar to "fulfill his promise." To recall, the previous Shiv Sena-Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government had given a reservation to Muslims through an ordinance. Pawar was part of this government before joining the Shinde government last year.
Jarange-Patil calls bill a 'betrayal'
After the passage of the bill in the assembly, Jarange-Patil said that the state government brought in the bill with upcoming elections in mind. "This decision of the government has been taken by keeping elections and votes in mind. This is a betrayal to the Maratha community," he said. "Maratha community won't trust you. We will benefit only from our original demands... The government will now lie that the reservation has been given," Jarange-Patil added.
