Maharashtra Assembly Passes Resolution Urging Centre To Bring Constitutional Amendment To Remove 50% Quota Ceiling

On Monday (5 July), the Maharashtra state government adopted a resolution in the assembly, urging the Centre to bring a Constitution amendment to remove the 50 per cent ceiling on the caste-based reservation to accommodate the Maratha community, reports Indian Express.

The resolution was moved by state PWD minister Ashok Chavan on the first day of the monsoon session. Notably, Chavan is also the head of the state cabinet sub-committee on the Maratha reservation.

The resolution stated that without relaxing the 50 per cent limit on caste-based reservations, the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) quota cannot be granted.

Chavan said, “The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is committed to Maratha reservation in government education and jobs. In the last 15 months, we have pursued the matter seriously with the Centre. We met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and requested him to take initiative in the matter. We also met state governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and urged him to take the issue up with President of India.”

The Supreme Court on 5 May had struck down the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018, which extends reservation to the Maratha community in public education and employment.

The Apex Court held that no extraordinary circumstances were justifying the grant of reservation to Marathas in excess of 50 per cent ceiling limit. The SC further added that the 2018 law violated the principles of equality, and exceeding the ceiling limit of 50 per cent violates Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution.