Petition seeks urgent hearing on reservation

Mumbai: A petition has been brought before the Bombay high court seeking the report prepared by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission pertaining to Maratha reservation.

The petitioner, Vinod Patil, informed the court that the state has to submit the report before the court, and copies also need to be provided to petitioners. Mr Patil also wanted an urgent hearing on Maratha reservation. The court has kept the hearing on Wednesday.

Several petitions were filed in 2014 and 2015 after the then-Congress-NCP government granted 16 per cent quota in government jobs and education to the Mara-tha community. In November 2014, in an interim order, a division bench of the Bombay high cou-rt had stayed the then-government’s decision.

While some of the petitions opposed the government’s decision, two petitions had sought the immediate implementation of the quota.

Mr Patil, one of the petitioners who are in support of Maratha reservation, mentioned the petition on Monday before a division bench headed by Justice B.P. Dharmadhikari and Justice S.V. Kotwal seeking an urgent hearing.

The Maratha community had held protests across the state earlier this year demanding quota in jobs and educational institutions.

On Sunday, the Maharashtra government approved a quota in government jobs and educational institutes for members of the community. The state’s approval followed the recommendations by the State Backward Class Commission.