The Maharashtra state government has appointed Justice (Retd) Sunil Shukre as the new head of the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC), succeeding Justice (Retired) Anand Nirgude, who resigned earlier. The government also announced the appointment of three new members—Om Prakash Jadhav, Maruti Shingare, and Machhindranath Tambe.
Justice Shukre, with a decade-long judicial career, retired on October 24, 2023. He played a role in a delegation that persuaded Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil to end his hunger strike.
Nirgude tendered his resignation on December 4, accepted by the state government on December 9, without providing reasons for his decision. Earlier this month, two other commission members, Balaji Killarikar and Laxman Hake, resigned over disagreements with the commission on the assessment of the social and economic backwardness of the Maratha community, which has been advocating for reservation in government jobs and education.
Hake alleged government pressure for hasty data collection, which he deemed “unscientific” and detrimental to Maratha reservation efforts. Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar called for clarification on the circumstances leading to Nirgude’s resignation, citing members’ claims of government pressure.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed allegations of government interference, asserting that the commission operates autonomously. He accused resigning members of acting against the interests of the Maratha community, affiliating them with political parties appointed during the MVA government.
The state government had directed the MSBCC to evaluate if extraordinary circumstances warrant exceeding the 50% reservation limit for the Maratha community set by the Supreme Court. Shiv Sena leader Ambadas Danve accused certain government members of portraying the commission negatively to undermine its commitment to Maratha reservation.
