Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Cabinet meeting on Sunday. (Twitter/@CMOMaharashtra) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Cabinet meeting on Sunday. (Twitter/@CMOMaharashtra) The Maharashtra government has decided to provide reservation in jobs and education to the Maratha community under the newly-constituted independent category called the Social and Education Backward Class (SEBC), Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Sunday. After conducting a Cabinet meeting, the CM said, “We have decided to give the Maratha community reservation under the newly-created independent category – SEBC.” While explaining the legal and constitutional aspects of the category, he said, “There is adequate provision in the Indian Constitution to extend the reservation to a community provided its social, education and financial backwardness are established.” At present, the total reservation in Maharashtra accounts for 52 per cent – 13 per cent for Scheduled Caste, seven per cent for Scheduled Tribe, 19 per cent for Other Backward Class, two percent for Special Backward Class, two per cent for Vimukta Jati, 2.5 per cent for the Nomadic tribe, 3.5 per cent for the Nomadic tribe-C (Dhangar) and two per cent for the Nomadic tribe-D (Vanjari). The 16 per cent quota to the Maratha community will take the total reservation in the state to 68 per cent. The Cabinet sub-committee, which has been constituted, will implement the quota after completing the due processes. In its report submitted to the state government this week, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) said that the Maratha community is socially and educationally backward and that reservation to the Maratha community can be provided after extraordinary and exception consideration. Responding a question on the Supreme Court’s directive not to exceed the 50 per cent quota limit, Fadnavis said, “There is no such provision of quota in the Indian Constitution. On the contrary, the Constitution provides for quota under extraordinary and exceptional cases when a certain community’s backwardness is documentarily established.” Speaking about Tamil Nadu where 69 per cent reservation has been implemented, the CM said, “Although the matter has been challenged, the apex court has not stayed the reservation.” The state government has held several consultations with constitutional and legal experts before coming to a decision, Fadnavis said. There was no need to send the MSBCC to the Centre Backward Class Commission for further approval, he added. The Fadnavis government’s decision to provide quota to the Maratha community in the independent category is being perceived as a significant step to avoid legal and constitutional hurdles and caste-conflict between the Marathas and the OBCs. Besides this, the decision has also given a social and political boost to the ruling BJP in the state. Also, the decision to provide reservation in a separate category was made to ensure that the existing quota did not get disburbed. “Since the Marathas are considered as a separate category, there is no question for any community availing the reservation of losing its share in government education or jobs,” the CM said. The politically dominant Maratha community had taken to the streets in the last two years and had resorted to agitation through 58 silent rallies, demanding quota in jobs and education. In the second phase of its agitation, the protest turned violent with eight people committing suicide in the state. For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

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