MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister Ashok Chavan on Wednesday said it is very satisfying that the Supreme Court refused to pass any interim stay order on the Maratha quota in admission to post-graduate medical courses.
The apex court also said on Wednesday that from July 27 it would commence day to day hearing through video conferencing on a batch of pleas challenging the Maharashtra law granting reservation to Marathas in education and jobs.
Chavan, who heads the Maharashtra cabinet subcommittee on Maratha reservation, in a statement said the state government will put forth its stand strongly before the court when the day to day hearing begins.
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal and advocate Rafique Dada are arguing in favour of the intervener, who is for the quota.
Senior lawyers Mukul Rohatgi and Paramjit Singh Patwalia are representing the state government before the court.
"The Supreme Court today refused to pass any interim stay order on the Maratha quota in admissions to post graduate medical courses, which is very satisfying, the statement quoted Chavan as saying.
A plea was filed in the Supreme Court, challenging the Bombay High Court order upholding validity of quota for the Maratha community in education (12 per cent) and government jobs (13 per cent).
The Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018 was enacted to grant reservation to people of Maratha community in Maharashtra in jobs and admissions.
The Bombay High Court, while upholding the law in June last year, had held that 16 per cent reservation was not justifiable and said that quota should not exceed 12 per cent in employment and 13 per cent in admissions.
On February 5, the apex court had refused to stay the high court order upholding the Maharashtra law granting reservation to Marathas in education and jobs.
Earlier, the top court in July last year decided to examine the constitutional validity of the Maharashtra law, but refused to stay the high court order upholding the statute with some modifications.