HC advances hearing on Maratha quota issue to Tuesday

The Bombay High Court today agreed to advance the hearing on petitions on Maratha reservation issue from August 14 to August 7.

Several petitions were filed in 2014 and 2015 after te then Congress-NCP government granted 16 per cent reservation in government jobs and education to the Maratha community.

While some of the petitions opposed the decision, two petitions sought immediate implementation of the quota.

Vinod Patil, one of the petitioners, today mentioned the matter before a division bench headed by Justice R V More, seeking an urgent hearing.

The Maratha community has been holding protests since e last month for implementation of quota, Patil's lawyer told the court, adding that at least seven persons have committed suicide over the issue.

The court then posted the petitions for hearing on August 7.

Earlier, the court had stayed the decision to grant quota to the Maratha community while asking the government to submit a report of the State Backward Class Commission.

The commission is supposed to conduct a survey and prepare a report on social and economic backwardness of the community.

As the agitation for quota intensified last week, the state government said it was waiting for the commission's report.