The Maharashtra government passed a bill in a special legislative session on Tuesday to extend reservation for Marathas beyond the 50% limit. The newly approved 10% Maratha quota bill is akin to the 2018 Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act introduced during the tenure of then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. This marks the state’s third attempt in a decade to legislate for the Maratha quota. The decision to hold a special session was prompted by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s hunger strike in Jalna district. The extension of reservation is based on a report submitted by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC), chaired by retired Justice Sunil Shukre.
The state already has a 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), with Marathas being the primary beneficiaries, claiming 85% of this reservation. The MBCC submitted a report last Friday, addressing the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community, following a survey of approximately 2.5 crore homes in just nine days.
The committee proposed a 10% reservation for Marathas in education and jobs, echoing a similar provision implemented by the state government in 2018. In June 2017, the then Fadnavis government established the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC), led by retired Justice MG Gaikwad, to assess the social, financial, and educational status of the Maratha community. The MSBCC’s November 2018 report classified Marathas as a socially and educationally backward class (SEBC).
Notably, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde emphasized on Friday that the Maratha reservation would be granted in accordance with legal provisions, following the presentation of the report during the special assembly session convened on Tuesday.
