Maha panel holds meeting over Maratha quota

MUKUL ROHATGI WILL REPRESENT THE MAHA GOVERNMENT IN THE CASE BEFORE THE SC, WHICH WILL HEAR THE MATTER ON MARCH 17

MUMBAI: A cabinet sub-committee headed by Maharashtra minister Ashok Chavan on Saturday held a meeting with senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi to discuss the issue of Maratha reservation ahead of the Supreme Court hearing over it on March 17.

Rohatgi, former Attorney General of India, and other senior counsels are representing the Maharashtra government in the case before the apex court.

Chavan said the sub-committee took stock of the preparation to ensure the reservation given to the community remains intact. “We have formed a team of good and senior advocates, including Rohatgi, and others. We held a meeting to ensure the preparation is good and the law holds its ground before the SC.

We are sure the government’s position is strong,” Chavan, a Congress leader, told reporters after the meeting.

Another state minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said that through the meeting the government is ensuring that there remains no loophole when hearings take place in the apex court. The Maharashtra legislature had on November 29, 2018 passed a bill granting 16 per cent reservation in education and government jobs to the Maratha community under the socially and educationally backward category (SEBC).

The bill was approved and signed by the Maharashtra governor a day later. The Bombay High Court in June 2019 had upheld the constitutional validity of reservation in government jobs and education.

The court, which was hearing a bunch of petitions challenging Maharashtra government’s decision granting 16 per cent reservation, though had said that the quota percentage be reduced from 16 per cent to 12 per cent and 13 per cent in education and jobs respectively (as was recommended by the State Backward Classes Commission).