'Not justifiable': Bombay HC upholds Maratha quota, reduces to 12 pc

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday upheld the validity of reservation of Maratha community in the government jobs and education in Maharashtra.

The court, however, cut down on the percentage to reduce from 16 per cent to 12 or 13 per cent calling it 'not justifiable'.

A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Bharti Dangre pronounced the judgement on all petitions challenging Maratha reservation.

 "We hold and declare that the state government possesses legislative competence to create a separate category of the Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) and grant reservation," the court said.

After a detailed hearing, an order was reserved on March 26 on these petitions.

The Legislative Council of the state on June 21 passed an amendment in the Socially Economically Backward Class (SEBC) Act 2018, providing 16 per cent reservation to the students of Maratha community in admissions to the post-graduate (PG) courses in medical colleges.

The state Assembly on June 20 had passed the amendment in this regard. The state government had earlier promulgated an ordinance for extending quota benefit to the Maratha students.

The Maharashtra Assembly on November 29 last year had passed a bill proposing 16 per cent reservation in educational institutions and government jobs for the Maratha community, declared as socially and educationally backward class (SEBC) by the government.

The Nagpur bench of the high court had earlier this month declined to entertain a plea against an Ordinance issued by the state government providing 16 per cent reservation for Marathas under the socially and economically backward classes category in admission to postgraduate medical and dental courses.