After SC Stays Maratha Quota, Maha Declares Measures for Community

SC held that the community which comprises 30% of the population in Maharashtra cannot be compared to marginalised.

Image used for representation.

(Photo: The Quint)

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday, 22 September, announced several measures to give relief to the agitating Marathas, after the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of quota in jobs and education for the community.

The Maharashtra Cabinet has decided to give members of the community benefits meant for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), reported news agency PTI. The government has also decided to offer jobs in Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation to heirs of those who lost their lives during the Maratha quota protests, the report aded.

“The benefits meant for economically weaker section (EWS) will be given to those from socially and economically backward category (SEBC),” the statement said.

This comes after a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court held that the community which comprises 30 percent of the population in Maharashtra cannot be compared to marginalised sections of the society living in far-flung and remote areas.

Staying the operation of the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act 2018, and referring the issue to a bench of five judges or more for final adjudication, the court said that the state has failed to make out a special case for providing reservation in excess of 50 percent.

The government announced the Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulkh Shishyavrutti Yojana, a scholarship scheme meant for SEBC students, will now be made applicable to EWS students too.

Meanwhile, the Panjabrao Deshmukh Hostel Maintenance Allowance Scheme meant for SEBC students will also be applicable to the EWS students, the statement said.

(With inputs from PTI)