Maharashtra Assembly Clears Maratha Quota Bill For Reservation In Education, Jobs

Fulfillign the demands of Maratha community, the Maharashtra Assembly today passed the Maratha Reservation Bill providing the community 10 per cent quota in education and jobs. Earlier, today, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Cabinet approved the draft bill for the Maratha quota in the state. Once this bill turns into an act after the state government's approval, Maratha community will get reservation benefits in the education and government jobs. With this, the Maharashtra government has fulfilling the long pending demand of the community. Notably, Maharashtra already has a 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in which the Marathas are the biggest beneficiaries as they claim 85 per cent of the reservation benefit.

Third Maratha Quota Bill

Amid the legal hurdlers, this is the third time in a decade that a government in Maharashtra has introduced legislation for the Maratha reservation and second time when the state assembly has passed the quota bill. This bill for 10 per cent Maratha quota is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018 introduced by the then Devendra Fadnavis government. The reservation to the Maratha community has been extended based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) headed by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre.

Special Session Of Assembly

The Maharashtra government today held a special session of the state assembly where the bill was taken up for discussion. The bill was passed with a voice vote in the house. The special session was prompted by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil's hunger strike at Antarwali Saarati village in Jalna district.

Maratha Quota Report

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission submitted a report on the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community on Friday to the Shinde government. The commission had undertaken a survey of around 2.5 crore homes within a span of only nine days and proposed a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in education and jobs.

In June 2017, the then Devendra Fadnavis government had constituted the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) headed by Justice (retired) MG Gaikwad to study the social, financial and educational status of the Maratha community. The Commission submitted its report in November 2018, classifying Marathas as a socially and educationally backward class (SEBC).