Mumbai: In a bid to keep the Maratha community in good humour ahead of upcoming rural and urban body elections, the Maharashtra Cabinet, on Thursday, to give the benefit of the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category to the candidates who have given the option to EWS from Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) and who have been selected before September 9, 2020, as per the selection process and valid recommendation of the candidates.
The appointment will be subject to the final verdict on the petitions pending before the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal, High Court and Supreme Court.

Who will be benefitted?
The benefit of this decision will be available to the candidates selected during the period from 2014 to September 9, 2020 who were denied the appointment in the selection process completed after accepting the EWS option allowed to the SEBC candidates. The Supreme Court granted an interim stay on September 9, 2020 and alter struck down The Maratha Reservation Act, 2018 in May 2021.
Before the Supreme Court stayed the selection of candidates done under the Educationally and Socially Backward Class (ESBC) Act, 2014 and the SEBC Act, 2018 could not be recruited in the government service due to the COVID 19 and the ongoing judicial process.
Before the stay by the Supreme Court, the candidates selected from ESBC / SEBC category were asked to give the option of EWS or Unreserved Category to take the benefit of EWS.
Maharashtra Public Service Commission, District Selection Boards and Selection Authorities revised the selection lists after the selected candidates in SEBC gave the option of unreserved or EWS category. Candidates in such revised selection lists have been selected before September 9, 2020. However, they faced restrictions on recruitment due to COVID 19.
The government has already decided to recruit the candidates who were not recruited due to lockdown and court proceedings as per the provisions of "Maharashtra Supernumerary Posts Creation and Appointment of Selected Candidates Act 2022".