MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill providing 10% reservation to the Maratha community in education and government jobs under a separate category. This is the third attempt to provide reservation benefits to the community on grounds of social, economic, and educational backwardness. Marathas constitute 28%of the state’s population.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections in 2014, the then CM Prithviraj Chavan had promulgated an ordinance approving a 16% reservation for Marathas. But the Bombay High Court stayed it, and the decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Later, in 2018, the Devendra Fadnavis-led government passed the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes bill to provide quota for Marathas. The Supreme Court struck it down.
The latest move is based on the recommendation of the Maharasthra Backward Classes Commission headed by retired judge Sunil Shukre. According to the panel, the Maratha community is economically backward with 21.22% living below poverty line depending on free rations given by the government. “In total farmer suicides, 94% of the deceased farmers belong to Maratha community. Marathas engaged in agriculture are finding their traditional trade unprofitable... There is high illiteracy and Marathas are deprived of government jobs and better life,” the report said.