MUMBAI: On Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced in the state legislative assembly that special sessions would be convened in February 2024 to address the issue of Maratha reservations, ahead of the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.
CM Eknath Shinde stated that the state government-appointed State Backward Commission would collect empirical data and documents to establish Maratha as a backward caste. He mentioned that the government had allocated Rs 360 crore from the Backward Commission to gather empirical data and conduct detailed surveys.
“Once the Backward Commission submits its report, it will be approved by the cabinet and subsequently tabled in the special sessions of the state assembly for approval. The Maratha community will be granted reservations in February 2024. We are committed to providing long-lasting reservations to the Maratha community within the legal framework,” said CM Shinde.
However, the opposition alleged that the state government lacked a clear roadmap for Maratha reservations, leading to skepticism about the promised reservations in February 2024. Former CM and Congress MLA Ashok Chavan expressed disappointment, stating that Shinde had promised Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil that reservations for the Maratha community would be declared by December 24. He criticized the government for failing to adhere to this commitment.