State to set up backward class commission soon

The state government will soon constitute a backward class commission to study the backwardness of the Maratha community

The state government will soon constitute a backward class commission to study the backwardness of the Maratha community.

The announcement was made by public works minister Ashok Chavan, who also heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, in the legislative council on Friday. HT File Photo

This announcement was made by public works minister Ashok Chavan, who also heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, in the legislative council on Friday. The move comes in the wake of the restlessness in the community ever since the quota was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2021.

Chavan gave the reason for setting up the commission. “After the SC judgment setting aside the Maratha reservation, we asked retired chief justice Dilip Bhosale to suggest the way forward. He suggested filing a review petition and waiting till the verdict comes. However, this is taking a long time and then there is a demand that a commission be set up. Taking cognisance of this, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray decided to form a backward class commission and it will be constituted soon.”

The minister alleged that the Central government was not cooperating fully with the state. “The Centre may have given the states the right to decide their list of backward classes but the cap of 50% is still a roadblock. Till the Centre eases this rule, things will be difficult for the community to get reservation.”

Maratha leader Vinayak Mete said the MVA had messed up this entire issue. “The MVA does not wish to give reservation in the first place.”

Constitutional expert Ulhas Bapat said, “The government has the power to appoint as many commissions as it wants. Hence, this commission is legal.”

He added after the commission gives its report, the government needs to study and accept it and then submit it to the court.

The Maharashtra legislature had in 2018 passed a resolution providing reservation to Marathas in education and government jobs by declaring the community as a socially and educationally backward class. The Bombay High Court upheld it the very next year after the decision was challenged. The petitioners moved the Supreme Court which on May 5, 2021, quashed the 12% and 13% quota given in education and jobs to the Maratha community. The government then filed a review petition.