Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government has decided to provide reservation to the economically weaker section of the Maratha community. The state government, on Monday, confirmed that under the EWS (Economical Weaker Section) quota, eligible people from the Maratha community will get 10% of benefits in jobs and education. The General Administration Department (GAD) has mentioned in its notification that socially and economically backward class people will benefit from the quota. The move comes almost a month after the Supreme Court struck down a separate reservation for the Maratha community in state government jobs and admissions in the education sector.
Maratha Reservation Unconstitutional: SC
On May 5, 2021, the Supreme Court rejected the state government’s decision on the Maratha reservation. The apex court said that the demand of the Maratha reservation is unconstitutional as it violates 50% of the reservation limit. A five-judge Constitution Bench led by Ashok Bhushan cited that providing reservation to the Maratha community will be a violation of Article 14 (right to equality) and Article 21 (due process of law). Declining to re-visit its 1992 Indira Sawhney judgment, the court also found that there was neither “extraordinary situation” nor “exceptional circumstances” in the Maratha community which required to break the 50% cap of the reservation quota.
Who Comes Under The EWS quota?
In 2019, the central government had decided to give 10% reservation in education and jobs, to people belonging to the EWS category. Under the defined quota, persons with an annual income of less than Rs. 8 lakhs can be eligible for reservation. Moreover, the farming land owned by the person’s family collectively, should not exceed five acres.
Shiv Sena Warns Central Government
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena has warned the central government that the fight for the Maratha reservation will begin in Delhi. “It is necessary to knock on the doors of Delhi in context of Maratha reservation,” declared Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana, on Monday.
