SC verdict on quota: Maratha leaders voice discontent over panel

The Top court on Wednesday quashed the reservation to the Maratha community.

Maratha organisations on Sunday said that they are not satisfied with the state government’s decision to form a committee under two retired judges of the high court to review the Supreme Court verdict quashing reservation to the community, adding that this exercise was expected when the reservation was challenged in the apex court.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed the reservation to the Maratha community saying people from the community can’t be declared educationally and socially backward just to bring them in the reserved category. (HT File Photo)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed the reservation to the Maratha community saying people from the community can’t be declared educationally and socially backward just to bring them in the reserved category. The five-judge bench also refused to refer the 1992 Indra Sawhney judgment, setting a 50% cap on reservation to a larger bench for reconsideration.

Virendra Pawar, one of the convenors from Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) said, “It [formation of the committee] was expected when the legal battle for reservation was going on in the apex court. We had suggested names such as Dr Sadanand More (scholar), BG Kolse Patil (retired high court justice) and PB Sawant (retired Supreme court judge) to the government requesting them to use their expertise by appointing them as advisers but our suggestions were overlooked.”

“If the state government is really serious about granting reservation to the Maratha community they should consider incorporating us in the OBC quota,” he added.

Sanjiv Bhor Patil, president, Shiv Prahar Sangathana said the state is just passing the time. “We have lost our reservation quota so now whatever is required to get it back, should be done at the earliest. We would have hit the streets by now but not doing so because of the pandemic. We want the government not to waste the time anymore.”

However, a few Maratha leaders termed the constitution of the expert committee as a “positive development”. Mansing Pawar, one of the convenors of the MKM said, “It [the move] is definitely a positive development as only two authorities in the country — the Supreme Court and President — can provide us reservation. Individual petitioners are also preparing grounds to go for a review but the petition by the state government will make a difference. Thus, I would say it is a much needed step.”

The state government on Saturday decided to constitute a committee under two retired high court (HC) judges to review the recent apex court verdict and suggest the next course of action. The committee, comprising five-six other members including laws officers, is expected to submit its report in two weeks to the state government.

Marathas were given 12% and 13% quota in education and government jobs, respectively, under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018.

The state government on Saturday also said that they are tapping the option of requesting the central government to intervene, as the judgment stated that the right to accord the reservation is with the Centre after the 102nd Constitutional amendment.

“Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will write to the President and prime minister, requesting them to take steps required for the reservation. The Centre has time and again clarified that the powers of the states have not been nullified even after the amendment, though the SC order has stated otherwise,” Ashok Chavan, Public Works Department (PWD) minister said on Saturday.

Many of the organisations are also planning to hold statewide virtual agitations by starting social media campaigns against leaders from the political parties in the state.