Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passes Maratha Reservation Bill enabling 16% to Marathas

Mumbai, November 29: After all the chaos and discussion on attaining reservation to the Marathas, the Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passes bill proposing 16 per cent reservation for Marathas under socially and educationally backward category.

 

Maharashtra government presented the bill in the state legislature to provide reservation to the Maratha community in jobs and education under the Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC).

However, there will not be any reservation for Marathas who contest local body elections, unlike those who belong to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Furthermore, there would not be any reservation on educational qualifications that are required for government jobs.

The Devendra Fadnavis-led government had passed the Bill on November 18 and the report was to be tabled during the Winter Session of the Legislative Assembly. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday tabled the Maratha quota bill based on the Action Taken Report (ATR) on the State Backward Class Commission’s (SBCC) recommendations for reservation to the Maratha community in government jobs and education.

Along with the Action Taken Report, CM Fadnavis tabled the conclusion and final recommendations of the SBCC’s report on social, educational and financial status of the Maratha community. According to the recommendations, Marathas have been declared as socially and educationally backward class of citizens (SEBC) and have inadequate representation in services under the state.

They are entitled to reservation benefits and advantages enshrined in the Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution, the recommendations mentioned.

Looking at exceptional circumstances and extraordinary situations generated on declaring the Maratha community as socially and educationally backward and their consequential entitlement to reservation benefits, the government may take appropriate decision within constitutional provision to address the emerging scenario in the state, it added.

The Maratha community, which constitutes over 30% of the state’s population, has been demanding reservation in government jobs and education for a long time. The community’s agitation for the same in July and August this year had taken a violent turn.