The cabinet sub committee chaired by Public Work Minister Ashok Chavan, on Tuesday, reviewed the preparations for the hearing on the Maratha quota case to be resumed from March 8 in the Supreme Court. The committee was unanimous on one point that the Centre needs to cooperate with the state government during its argument, as the apex court in September last year had given an interim stay on 12% quota in education and 13% in government jobs under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018.
Chavan said several petitions have been filed in the apex court from various states to have a combined hearing on their quota along with the Maratha reservation. He stated that the government is of the view that the Maratha quota should be argued along with the petitions on the Economically Weaker Section quota and reservations given by various states.
Chavan said the state government wants the hearing to be held before a nine or 11 member bench in the apex court, as there was a reference to the Indra Sawhney case in which the SC has set the upper limit of 50% for reservation as well as the other dynamics faced by the backward classes.
