The state government on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that the cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the Backward Class Commission on the issue of Maratha reservation in the state. The court was hearing a petition filed by Vinod Patil, a social worker, seeking direction to submit recommendations with respect to providing reservation to the community. State government’s counsel Abhinandan Vagyani told the court that the state cabinet has accepted the recommendations from the commission in its report submitted to the Chief Secretary of the state on November 15. He added that the state government has initiated work to complete the constitutional and legal formalities. The petitioner’s lawyer sought for a copy of the report to which Vagyani said he cannot provide the copy, unless the report is presented before the House. A division bench of Justice B P Dharmadhikari and Justice Sarang Kotwal noted that the commission and the state had complied with the court’s order on submission of recommendations and therefore, there was no need for further hearing. The bench disposed of the matter by saying that after the report is disclosed, if the petitioner is aggrieved, then he can approach the court. On Sunday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said: “We have taken a decision to give the Maratha community reservation under the newly created independent category, Socially and Educationally Backward Class. There is adequate provision in the Indian Constitution to extend reservation to a community, provided its social, educational and financial backwardness is established.” He added: “Since Marathas will be considered as a separate category, there is no question of any community losing its share of quota in government education or jobs.” Currently, the total reservation in Maharashtra is 52 per cent — 13 per cent for the Scheduled Castes, 7 per cent for Scheduled Tribes, 19 per cent for Other Backward Classes, 2 per cent for Special Backward Classes, 3 per cent for Vimukta Jati, 2.5 per cent for Nomadic Tribe-B, 3.5 per cent for Nomadic Tribe-C (Dhangar) and 2 per cent for Nomadic Tribe-D (Vanjari). While the Maratha community had demanded 16 per cent reservation, a cabinet sub-committee, which has been constituted to implement the quota, will fix the quantum.
