State wants to extend tenure of hires under Maratha quota

Mumbai: The state government has approached the Bombay high court to seek extension in the service tenure of employees who were recruited under the 16 per cent quota reserved for the Maratha community in 2014 on temporary basis at various posts in the state government, including education. A division bench comprising of Chief Justice Manjulla Chellur and Justice M. S. Sonak posted the matter for hearing on November 6.

According to the application, on July 15, 2015, the state government had passed a resolution allowing 16 percent reservation to economically and socially backward categories of the community. Various petitioners challenged it in the HC, questioning the validity and legality of the decision. In April 7, 2015 the HC had directed the state government to keep the said 16 per cent seats vacant until the matter was decided finally.

While hearing the matter the court had realised that much time is needed to listen these petitions and allowed the state to offer these vacant seats to eligible candidates from the open category, strictly on temporary basis for eleven months. Since then, the time period for the posts was being extended by the high court on a temporary basis as the petitions pertaining to the Maratha reservation are yet to be heard and decided finally.  

Additional public prosecutor Pravin Sawant filed an application on Tuesday seeking further extension of eleven months.

The application stated “earlier while granting extension, the high court had specifically observed that no useful purpose will be served by keeping the teaching posts in educational institutions and other services vacant. In view of this, it is necessary to continue the appointments for another eleven months”.