Maharashtra government has committed itself to the cause of Maratha quota and won’t keep any stone unturned to ensure that the community gets justice, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Friday. Opposition Congress, however has termed the remedies suggested by the government as mere “superficial measures”.
The government shall file a curative petition in the Supreme Court and set up a new commission to undertake a systematic study in order to prove the backwardness of the Maratha community and shall do whatever is necessary for the cause, the CM said after the meeting of the cabinet sub committee on reservation for Marathas on Friday.
SC on Thursday rejected the review petition file by state govt
The Supreme Court on late Thursday night rejected the review petition filed by the state government in the Maratha quota case. The apex court had on May 5, 2021, declared the Maharashtra's legislation granting reservation to Maratha community unconstitutional and struck down reservations for the community in college admissions and jobs in Maharashtra, saying that there were no exceptional circumstances to justify the breach of the 50 percent ceiling on overall reservations. The state government had then filed a review petition.
Despite the setback, doors are not closed on Maratha quota case, the Chief Minister's Office said in the statement.
The process of filing a curative petition should begin immediately, and the new “comprehensive survey”, to be conducted in a “scientific way”, should rope in efficient, non-biased organisations which should be provided all facilities along with human resources, Shinde said after the meeting which was attended by some of his cabinet colleagues , including deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The meeting was hurriedly convened in the backdrop of the apex court rejecting the state government’s review petition.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, termed the remedies proposed by the government as being “superficial."
“The real crux of the issue is the 50% cap on quota. If the government is serious, it should make its stand clear on the this issue and clarify its further strategy,” he added.
“The government will have to file a curative petition and a new commission too will have to be set up. There is absolutely no doubt about it. But, ultimately the issue will again boil down to the 50% cap. In the monsoon session of 2021 both houses of the state legislature had unanimously resolved to request the Union government to relax the 50% cap. What happened to that resolution after that?,” Chavan questioned suggesting that the response needs to come from the Union government.
“If The 50% cap is done away with, several such pending quota requests across the nation would be easily granted,” he added.
