Maharashtra to move SC on Maratha quota next week

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday said it would challenge the Bombay High Court’s order staying the reservations for Marathas in the Supreme Court next week.

“We will approach the Supreme Court next week,” higher and technical education minister Vinod Tawde told reporters after a meeting on the issue here this evening.

Those who attended the meeting included Tawde, former deputy chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, leader of opposition in the state legislative assembly Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena, RPI leader Avinash Mahatekar and Shivsangram leader Vinayak Mete.

They discussed the issues that should be raised before the Supreme Court and also reviewed the orders passed by various High Courts on reservations.

The Bombay High Court earlier this month stayed implementation of the controversial decision of the erstwhile Congress-NCP government, to provide reservations to Marathas in government jobs and educational institutions, announced ahead of the state Assembly election.

It also stayed the decision to provide five per cent reservations to Muslims in government service but allowed quota for them in educational institutions.  

Following the HC ruling, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis set up a five-member panel comprising Tawde, Ajit Pawar, former agriculture minister Radhakrishna Patil, Eknath Shinde and cooperation minister Chandrakant Patil to decide the future course of action.